What It Means To Be Wise as Serpents, Innocent as Doves

Angie Allen explains that Christ's instruction in Matthew 10:16 to be wise as serpents and innocent as doves presents a central tension for Christian life. While Christ sends his disciples as sheep among wolves, he does not promise they will be spared from danger or that the wolves will disappear.

Allen notes that this command does not call for naivety. Instead, a disciple must use wisdom to recognize evil, understand how deception and power work, and identify how fear silences the conscience. However, the disciple must avoid becoming fascinated by evil or allowing prudence to turn into calculation. The goal is to live in a fallen world without letting its logic possess the heart.