Predator and Prey

Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. (Matthew 10:16 ESV). Just the other day as I was coming home on some of the rural roads from the church to my home, I noticed a Red-tailed Hawk sitting on the side of the road. I slowed to see if something was wrong. It is not unusual to see them in this part of the country; but, it is unusual to see them on the ground. I had hoped nothing was wrong. My fears were quickly dispelled as I got closer and the hawk took flight with a small rabbit in its talons. Although the two were nearly equal in size, they were clearly no equal match. The hawk, true to its nature, had attacked and killed the rabbit. Breakfast was soon to be served! That's nature — a constant battle between predators and prey. Sadly, this same pattern has characterized much of human history. We experience it ourselves. Predator-like people are everywhere. At some point, we may find ourselves victimized or targeted by one, perhaps without realizing it at first. Jesus warned us about people who "come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves" (cf. Matthew 7:15). We’ve all been in those situations before, when we feel like the prey. During those experiences I remind myself of the many examples from the lives of the characters in the Bible like the psalmists and the apostles, who experienced the grip of predators without possessing any means, apart from God, of rising above their circumstance. Even if they could have found a way to attack and overpower their "enemy" they did not do so. Why didn’t they? I believe it is because they recognized their identity through their union with Christ. They could not be something they were not. They could not become a hawk. So it is for you and me. If we are truly in Christ, any hawk-like behavior is outside of our nature. Remember, our old ways of self-interest and self-management were put to death with Christ. Now, God is our defense and protector. We trust Him to empower us to live courageously with the shrewdness of a snake and the innocence of a dove among people who perpetually strive against each other. I know this balance takes wisdom. And, I would never advise to continue in an abusive situation; however, those times when people take advantage of us and perhaps hurt us in some way can often be a time of great influence depending on our response. Our first reaction in every situation ought to be one of peace and reconciliation. Our competitive nature often gets in the way of that attitude. Relationships are not competitive events to be won at all costs. Wisdom and innocence are the two characteristics to develop.