“Look, I’m sending you as sheep among wolves. Therefore, be wise as snakes and innocent as doves.”
Matthew 10:16
I have spent many days meditating on the above scripture, to help me find balance in the midst of tribulation. That tribulation could come in the form of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual obstacles and hardships. It’s important to keep your head cool and working with clarity (hello, mind of Christ!) while at the same time maintaining kindness, gentleness and compassion.
Likewise, there are times when it is really hard to keep a soft heart in the midst of trials and trouble! The easiest thing to do when you’ve been in a tough season of hurt is to harden your heart so that when things try to attack (negative feelings, harsh words, etc.) it doesn’t hurt so badly. We as humans will do almost anything to avoid hurt, especially constant and repetitive hurt. But here’s the thing: As follows of Christ we’re being INTENTIONALLY sent to the front lines of battle where we WILL face trouble and attack of all kinds! Jesus Himself is sending us as “sheep among wolves” and many times those wolves will try to come after our soft spots. The answer is not to harden ourselves to avoid damage to our hearts, but rather to stay soft on the inside and to use all available armor to protect ourselves.
God has provided a spiritual exoskeleton (much like a turtle or snail!) by which we can stay soft and sweet on the inside, while maintaining hard and thoroughly protected on the outside. Jesus wants to clothe us so that He bears the brunt of the hard attacks that come our way. Ephesians 6:13 encourages us to, “…[T]ake up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” For after all, what good is coming through the battle only to be hardened? That sounds a whole lot like surviving instead of thriving. He gives us the following pieces of armor to protect us:
- Belt of Truth
- Breastplate of Righteousness
- Shoes of Preparation (of the gospel of peace)
- Shield of Faith
- Helmet of Salvation
- Sword of the Spirit
Instead of building our own walls around ourselves to keep us safe, let’s try letting Christ place a protective barrier in our lives, as He is so much more able and ready to absorb the hard blows of life. Will you trust in His divine exoskeleton to preserve your heart?