January 17: Sheep Among Wolves
Scripture
“Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves. 17 But beware! For you will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with whips in the synagogues. 18 You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me. 19 When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. 20 For it is not you who will be speaking—it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. –Matthew 10:16-20 NLT
When Jesus sends His disciples out, He is blatantly honest about what lies ahead. They are being sent to proclaim that the Kingdom of heaven is near, carrying good news, healing, and deliverance. Yet Jesus does not promise safety or ease. “I am sending you out as sheep among wolves.” Following Him has always involved risk, because the message of the Kingdom confronts a world that often resists God’s reign.
Because of that, Jesus gives a surprising command: be as shrewd as snakes and as harmless as doves. Faithfulness does not mean naivety. Believers are not called to be reckless or unaware. There is a real spiritual battle taking place, and wisdom matters. We are to live with discernment and alertness, while remaining gentle, humble, and free from malice. Courage and compassion are meant to travel together.
Jesus also prepares His followers for opposition. Arrest, rejection, and suffering will come, not because they are doing something wrong, but because they belong to Him. Yet even this resistance carries purpose. These moments become opportunities to bear witness. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer once wrote, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.”¹ Following Jesus means laying down our expectations of comfort and control, trusting God even when obedience is costly.
That same promise holds true for us today. Obedience to Jesus does not guarantee an easy path, but it does guarantee His presence. God is still advancing His Kingdom and still working through ordinary people who trust Him step by step. We are called to follow faithfully, speak boldly, and live wisely, confident that the Spirit of our Father will give us what we need when the moment comes.
Reflection
1. What fears or hesitations do you feel when you think about living openly and faithfully for Jesus in a world that may resist or reject Him?
2. How can you grow in being both wise and gentle as you represent Christ in your everyday relationships and conversations?
3. Where might God be inviting you to trust His Spirit more deeply rather than relying on your own words, strength, or control?
Prayer
Ask God for courage to follow Jesus faithfully, even when obedience feels risky or costly. Pray for wisdom to live with discernment and gentleness in a world that does not always welcome the truth.
Footnote
¹ Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship (New York: Macmillan, 1959).