Jesus instructed, “I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” —Matthew 10:16
Faith-based organizer Rev. Dr. Alexia Salvatierra reflects on Jesus’ teaching in Scripture about wielding power:
In Matthew 10:16, Jesus calls his disciples to be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Serpent power is evident and measurable—it is the power of force, wealth, social influence and numbers. There is nothing wrong with the use of serpent power with integrity…. However, if all we use is serpent power, we have lost our unique call and contribution—the capacity to embody the power of the dove….
When we take dove power seriously, we take seriously the best in people, the reality of the image of God in each of us and the transforming work of the Holy Spirit. We know that power is manifested every day in our communities in a multitude of ways. Besides the serpent powers of position, physical force, money and numbers, we believe in the power of prayer. We believe in the power of truth and the power of love. We believe that there are contexts and moments in which moral authority is real, tangible and effective.
Salvatierra tells a story revealing Bishop Desmond Tutu’s “dovelike” power:
Bishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa was threatened by the government to stop speaking out against apartheid. On one Easter morning soldiers were sent to his church. They lined the walls of the sanctuary holding loaded rifles. The congregation was frightened that Bishop Tutu would speak against apartheid and that the soldiers would start shooting. They were also frightened that he would not speak—for then the regime would have effectively won.
Bishop Tutu began bouncing on his heels and laughing, laughing uproariously, laughing like a child. The laughter was contagious. Soon, everyone was laughing, even some of the soldiers…. Bishop Tutu went on to preach against apartheid and he was not shot.
Bishop Tutu did not have the power of force…. He did not have the power of wealth…. He did not have the power of numbers…. In this instance Bishop Tutu did not have serpent power; his was the power of the dove, residing in his faith, hope and love. Tutu’s faith gave him the capacity for joy in all circumstances. His faith in the coming kingdom of God brought the experience of the future into the present, making it real for his audience. He did not fear for the future; he awaited it expectantly and called his listeners into it. This lack of fear allowed him to look past the guns, see the boys holding the guns, and love them. His love, faith and hope had real-world power….
The apparent barriers to action rarely stand up to dove power. When people are reminded of the strength of their faith, their fear subsides. And when they are invited to lean into their faith, they are emboldened by God’s provision.
Reference:
Alexia Salvatierra, Faith-Rooted Organizing: Mobilizing the Church in Service to the World (InterVarsity Press, 2013), 74–76.
Image credit and inspiration: cal gao, untitled (detail), 2021, photo, Unsplash. Click here to enlarge image. We move—from “I” to “we”—honoring each other’s gifts, sharing skills with reverence, and weaving our strengths into a whole greater than any one alone.
Story from Our Community:
The Daily Meditations are the touch point of my morning practice. I often encounter a mystical “third way” that gives me hope and peace in a world so bent on binary options. One of my biggest quandaries has been how to fulfill Christ’s command to be a disciple to all nations, while not giving in to the Christian nationalism that most of my church friends take as truth. The meditation on the contrast between biblical “dominion” and domination gives me courage and comfort, knowing I am not alone in insisting that even “good” outcomes do not justify abandoning the way Jesus showed us to live.
—Greg L.
