...be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves." (Matt. 10:16)
What is the wisdom of serpents? Hiding from danger. We need to be wise before we can be harmless to ourselves and others!
In ancient times there was king, who also was a spiritual guide and teacher, who required of his prospective student to tour the royal palace while carrying in the palm of his hand an oil lamp filled to the brim with oil. To be accepted into the class, he had to observe minutely all details and report to the king every item in each palatial room without spilling one drop of oil from the lamp.
The meaning of the requirement was that the applicant had to recognize the importance to keep his attention on the Light, lest the oil of spiritual communion be spilled, while at the same time perform his duties in the world.
The teacher understood that the student couldn't divorce practical wisdom from spirituality. That union enables us to be so discerning and practical that we cannot be fooled, and become harmless to ourselves and to others!
EvaMaria Hogrefe
2018
