Wisdom & Shrewdness

SCRIPTURE: After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi [Wise Men] from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” Matthew 2:1-2 NIV

THOUGHT: Some people call it discernment; Jesus called it shrewdness. He told a story about a shrewd manager about to lose his job, who then cooked the books so people would be indebted to him after he was fired. Luke 16:8-9 records part of his teaching: “The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind that are the people of the light.” And in Matthew 10:16, Jesus tells his disciples, “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.”

But what does that have to do with today’s passage and with wisdom? It’s worth some long, hard thought, that’s what. I’ve read stories of people in countries where it is unlawful to be openly Christian, and it’s impressed me that God can give any of us creatively shrewd ideas to achieve his will.

When the Wise Men came to Jerusalem – the epicenter of God’s very own people – there was a need for such shrewdness. Herod posed as a would-be worshipper and the Scribes and Pharisee’s cozied right up to him to offer the information he offered. The beauty of it was that the Wise Men had already been following God and were good listeners, so when offered a warning in a dream, they shrewdly went home by a different route. It’s the same method God used to prompt Joseph to get up in the middle of the night and flee to Egypt.

The big takeaway is that God says it’s possible to be both innocent and shrewd. Now that’ll get you pondering your own need to be a wise man or woman.

PRAYER: God, sometimes you call on us to be shrewd to accomplish your will. Help us see the way when there seems to be no way – to be both shrewd and innocent.