Jesus Speaks: Shrewd as a Snake, Harmless as a Dove
Jesus visited earth 2,000 years ago. What He said was recorded by eyewitnesses in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in the Bible. This is what Jesus said about surviving in a world with prowling wolves all around you.
There was a rich man who had a manager. He got reports that the manager had been taking advantage of his position by running up huge personal expenses. So he called him in and said, “What’s this I hear about you? You’re fired. And I want a complete audit of your books.”
The manager said to himself, “What am I to do? I’ve lost my job as a manager. I’m not strong enough for a laboring job, and I’m too proud to beg…Ah, I’ve got a plan. Here’s what I’ll do…then when I’m turned out into the street, people will take me into their houses.”
Then he went at it. One after another, he called in the people who were in debt to his master. He said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’
He replied, “A hundred jugs of olive oil.”
The manager said, “Here, take your bill, sit down here—quick now—write fifty.”
To the next he said, “And you, what do you owe?”
He answered, “A hundred sacks of wheat.”
He said, “Take your bill, write in eighty.”
Now here’s a surprise: The master praised the crooked manager! And why? Because he knew how to look after himself.[1]Luke 16:1-8 MSG
Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.[2]Matthew 10:16 NLT
I want you to be smart in the same way—but for what is right—using every adversity to stimulate you to creative survival.[3]Luke 16:9 MSG