The adjective "crafty" conjures up an image of someone not to be trusted. Some Christians equate shrewd with crafty and suggest that a good Christian should at least act naive. I do not believe that Christians should appear to be passive and naive. The Christians of old were brave and bold by any standard. Being guileless and honest does not require you to be simple-minded. Jesus instructed his own disciples to be shrewd as snakes.
Matthew10:16
I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as
shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. (NIV)
I'm not entirely sure how shrewd a snake actually is but I don't think I'm alone in my interpretation that this passage meant the Jesus wanted his disciples to be alert and pretty darn clever.
February 15, 2019