“Be Shrewd as a Serpent, yet Innocent as a Dove”
All women absorb messages during their lifetimes, and these messages have a profound influence on a woman’s voice. Women—especially women of faith—receive numerous messages about how they are supposed to behave and these messages influence a woman’s voice.
Sometimes we give specific messages more value than others, such as…be gentle, be kind, be patient, be loving, be innocent.These are powerful and truthful messages. As women of faith, we should treasure the pursuit of these qualities in our character.
On the contrary, as women, how many times have we been given these messages:
Be hyper-vigilant, guarded, calculating, astute. Be marked by a practical and hard-headed intelligence. BE SHREWD! Do place as much value on developing these characteristics as we do on being innocent, kind and patient?
Think about the definition of the word “shrewd.” It means to show sharp powers of judgment, to be astute, sharp-witted, intelligent, clever, canny, sagacious, perceptive and savvy.Being shrewd is a great quality to have.
Let’s pause for a moment and really reflect on the message given to us from the Book of Matthew:
“Be shrewd as a serpent, yet innocent as a dove.” Matthew 10:16.
Do you hear it? This powerful instruction puts as much emphasis on being shrewd as it does on being innocent. In fact, it suggests we should put equal weight on both qualities when we make decisions. We should not be more innocent than we are shrewd; we should pursue a fifty-fifty balance.
In my blog post “Create a Meaningful Ruckus,” I wrote about the tendency of the feminine soul to associate the feeling of tension caused by rocking the boat with having done something wrong. This tendency may be rooted in the fact that women have often absorbed more messages about being loving, kind, and innocent and fewer about being calculating, savvy, and shrewd.
I would estimate that within our church walls, 90% of messages created for women emphasize patience, love, and kindness, and fewer than 10% of messages emphasize the importance of being shrewd. Yet, according to the book of Matthew, these character attributes should have equal weight.
Quite frequently I observe women in my counseling office feeling guilty when their circumstances require them to act shrewdly. They have not yet created a mindset that being shrewd is as honorable, valuable, and imperative as being innocent.
Why must we equally weigh being shrewd with being kind in all of our decisions and interactions? Because shrewdness prevents us from confusing being kind, loving and gentle with having a high tolerance for crap. There is simply no other way of saying that, my friends.
In order to find your voice and create more balance in your decision-making process, be both innocent and shrewd.
I hope these insights encourage you to find your Voice!
DIALOGUE QUESTIONS:
Do you give yourself permission to be shrewd and calculating? Or do you put more emphasis on developing a character based on being innocent and kind?
Do you find that overemphasizing being innocent and underestimating the value of being shrewd leads you into relationships or circumstances that create having a high tolerance for crap?
Is there a decision you are currently making where you need to practice being shrewder and less innocent in order to bring balance to your thought process?
How does meditating on Matthew 10:16 reduce the false guilt you may have about being more calculating, shrewd, and hyper-vigilant?
Have you been given the message that you need to be shrewd, lately? If so, did you resist or absorb that message?
I look forward to your thoughts, comments and dialogue!
If you have found this post helpful or insightful, please share it with the women in your life!
29 Comments
I have been working on this exact topic lately in my personal growth and welcome the affirmation that I am on the right track! Thank you!!
I am so glad that this message resonates with you, Janis. You are on the right track, indeed. Thanks for sharing>
A lot of us women still hold back because we’ve had the role of being polite, patient and kind. But I’m glad to see more and more women speaking up and not holding back their thoughts even if it means she will be perceived differently.
Thank you Jade for sharing your voice and encouraging other women to honor their voices!
Do you find that overemphasizing being innocent and underestimating the value of being shrewd leads you into relationships or circumstances that create having a high tolerance for crap?
Yes I foolishly let myself relax and trust a relationship where I was not getting anything but hurt while I was getting everything taken from me.
I let it make me suicidal in the end.
Now I am just discovering what shrewd means, and learning more about it on my new path of being strong confident not taking crap and loving myself.
Glad you are standing up for yourself!!A tough road to navigate!Do you think your childhood prepared you to value yourself or did it groom you to accept bad treatment?For myself I realize that I was in many ways programned as having little worth or value.This had a HUGE role in what I tolerated in relationships as a child and an adult.It also warped my view of God and His expectations of me.Hope you are doing well.
I wish this message was taught more as I was growing as a Woman of Christ. The Holy Spirit is now teaching me the importance if having both qualties..as you so put it ” find my voice” Thank You for this article..
I think that your point is very valid. It is embedded in the very fabric of the mindset of Christianity not necessarily limited to women, which I understand is the focal point here. It’s the way we have been crafted to deliver and received the gospel. Take the picture you used for the title for instance. Only the image of the dove. No image of the serpent. We all need a recalibration of some sort.
Thank you for the write up. Blessed.
This is on my heart today, and I found your blog, thank you so much, I don’t know where to start, but I trust in God’s grace (ability)
This article is still speaking after the original post from 2016. I believe it’s because as people we are ever evolving. If I would have answered this question in 2016, absolutely not, but through my experiences of adversity I have evolved and found the balance of shrewdness.
I read Matthew 10:16, and needed to look up the biblical definition of “shrewd”. I came across you and your words! I needed to read this! I’ve been struggling with “being shrewd”. I am shrewd, but felt it wasn’t very Christian-like of me.
I appreciate your words!
God answered me through this message thank you glory be to God
The Lord gave me this verse this morning! So this article helped me to understand the need to be both! We can be both at the same time! We must be both so we represent Christ! Lord help women to have their voice of truth restored and not let controlling, intimidating individuals rob them if their discernment and protect God’s interests in humanity!
Thank you!
After praying in my prayer journal today for my kids, their friends, me and my future all specific requests that are too personal to share… I opened my bible to Proverbs 8. Shrewd was a word I wrote down to study afterwards. And here I am on your blog! This is what God is speaking to me to add into myself and my children. Thank you for the viewpoint that you shared. It’s spot on and I will use your wisdom.
Proverbs 8
God bless you
Women need to hear this. Asking God for wisdom in every situation is very important. And confronting or sharing our thought in a shrewd way is enlightening. At this time for me, This means that in our service we should be clever in all situations because our goal is to honor God and bring others to the light. For me, it means to find interesting ways to bring the good news to others. And to remember, there are some that will not like the good news, don’t take it personal, it is not a competition. It is all about my approach and reaction.
Thank you for this message! It’s long overdue! And might I add that being shrewd does not mean we can’t be gentle at the same time. We can gently object or reject.
Thank you for this encouragement.
I think this article needs a Part 2 on what it looks like to be a shrewd Christian woman and how to mentor young women in this characteristic.
I recently have been encountered with a very uncomfortable new person that was hired at my job. I work with children in a before and after school program. I am 57 as the other persons are 22-30. I’ve not been treated very fairly and the new person is very rude to the children so I had to show a bit of shrewd feedback with proper words , but it was not taken lightly with the new person as of two weeks hired. They all seem very happy with treating children with much authority to where the children cry and say they do not like the new rules which change so often. I am a strong believer in my faith and I do believe my comfort in keeping the kids happy comes with some discipline but not so harsh to where 40 minutes of no talking and just sitting doing nothing is very shrewd and unfair. So my point is . I cannot be able to work there at this job if my respect for people is dominated by the new generation and their lack of understanding and respect for individuality in every kid these days. Kids are brought up differently these days and my views of it is not acceptable in the ways of scripture and Gods ways to live by. Bewildered by a point of view of being shrewd at times of need for guidance in a work place atmosphere. I stay for the kids. They need a positive nice person around them at all times. Ann M
I recently have been encountered with a very uncomfortable new person that was hired at my job. I work with children in a before and after school program. I am 57 as the other persons are 22-30. I’ve not been treated very fairly and the new person is very rude to the children so I had to show a bit of shrewd feedback with proper words , but it was not taken lightly with the new person as of two weeks hired. They all seem very happy with treating children with much authority to where the children cry and say they do not like the new rules which change so often. I am a strong believer in my faith and I do believe my comfort in keeping the kids happy comes with some discipline but not so harsh to where 40 minutes of no talking and just sitting doing nothing is very shrewd and unfair. So my point is . I cannot be able to work there at this job if my respect for people is dominated by the new generation and their lack of understanding and respect for individuality in every kid these days. Kids are brought up differently these days and my views of it is not acceptable in the ways of scripture and Gods ways to live by. Bewildered by a point of view of being shrewd at times of need for guidance in a work place atmosphere. I stay for the kids. They need a positive nice person around them at all times. I have no voice at my employment. Ann M
Amazing insights! and especially to women. Being a wife, mother and a woman with a purpose for her self needs a good balance of these two qualities. Most women however are either too shrewd or too innocent. May God lead us in a path of realising when and how to use the two to bring out the best in us.
Absolutely I believe that being shrewd can truly help us as women to pick up on many traits people have or situations where being innocent will overlook and disregard the negative impact people or situations can bring forth into our lives. I like the term hard-headed intelligence because when we as women have definite healthy boundaries or have healthy expectations and standards, somehow we are told we are being stubborn and not women of faith. A total misconception of truth and reality. Yes we have to do all with an innocent and loving heart but just the same not lose our intelligence. Many times yes to not break our boundaries which as godly we must be hard-headed in our intelligence. It just saves us from allowing any darkness to enter into our space and being. Another favorite Bible quote is “Above all things guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life”. Our goodness is to always remember that Jesus also said “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” However, it is up to us to seek to know what we do and what others may do. That is compassion and forgiveness but we are not to negate that we must have this intelligence right there as well. Thank you for your lovely insight because as women we do have to guard and protect our hearts, minds, bodies abs spirit.
This is a very powerful and inspiring message.
It provides valuable information on how we as believers should conduct ourselves in the world of wolves.
We were oriented to overrmphasize the posture of the innocent dove and under emphasize the quality of bring shrewd.
I was raised this way: don’t start a fight but make sure you finish it. Use your voice and stand for something.
Oh yes!
Thank you so much Margo for your expression of Mat.10 vs 16 which took a different tone. I like it!
I have the same deep revelation of
the scripture.
I being searching online write ups on this scripture for minds that mine would resonate with . I am so glad I found your kind of mind.
Women do need to hear themselves speak expressively and feel great when they’re done. Knowing that they can make shrewd decisions that are life changing, will cause every control of fear to be gone for good.
Thanks again.
Thanks for shedding light on this verse. I am greatly blessed as I learn of how both virtues are relevant.
Thanks for sharing.
Great post! Speaks volumes
No to crap ladies! Thank you for this! I personally have had a high tolerance of crap, in the name of gentle, kind, long suffering and etc. I could no longer take it and had to stand up to the bully in my life.
Thank you so much! It’s as if Christian women need permission to behave shrewdly. In Psalms 18:26 we see that God deals shrewdly with the devious. Having a narcissist target me for over 5 yrs now,I am thankful to know I can be shrewd and prudent to the glory of God.
Thank you again,
Elise
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