A lot of Christians have what I call a victim mentality. By this I mean the thinking of a victim. Sometimes, I hear the following statements from such people:
“They’re against me.”
“They don’t like me.”
“They have ganged up on me.”
“It’s a wicked world.”

Come on! They are not as wicked as your heavenly Father. The bible tells us that God is terrible; He is a consuming fire.

“For the Lord Most High is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth.”
~Psalm 47:2 (KJV)

For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
~ Deuteronomy 4:24

You need to be the kind of person that will burn people when you need to burn them, sting them when you need to sting them, and bless them when you need to bless them. You can’t be harmed because you have the nature of your Father. So there is no point playing the victim.

This is why Jesus said that you need to be as shrewd as the snake in dealing with the wolves in the world. In your relationships and in the course of your interactions with other people, you will come across different characters. Be a lamb to those who show up as a lamb, but deal with those who show up as a wolf like a snake will. In other words, be shrewd in your relationships. Apply accurate judgment and discernment in your dealings with other folks.

“I am sending you out like sheep among the wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.”
~ Matthew 10:16

Regrettably, a lot of Christian folks are so scared of the jungle of life and relationships. They are so terrified of the world that they just hide in the church. The church becomes a good hiding place, a safe haven for those who want to dodge the harsh realities of life.

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.”
~Matthew 5:14

A lot of Christians fail to build up the skills needed to succeed in real life. They don’t develop the necessary capabilities required to make a mark in the real world. As a Christian, that’s what Jesus Christ has sent you to do. He says you are the light of the world. As God’s child, you are supposed to dominate wherever you are. You should defeat darkness. You are not supposed to bow in the face of opposition from darkness. You are supposed to subdue and swallow it up.

So don’t go through life like a victim; let your light shine before men.

Memory Verse:
Matthew 5:14
“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.”

Prayer
Father, thank You for making the light of the world. Strengthen me to shine my light at all times and in every circumstance, in Jesus’ name.
Amen.

Take time to develop the skills and strengths required to deal with the challenges, complexities and dangers of life and relationships.

To succeed in your pursuits, you need skill in your interactions with other people. Shrewdness is crucial in navigating the jungle of life and relationships.

The world, its people and relationships are like a jungle. To succeed in life, you must know how to navigate the jungle of relationships.