CWW Week 28 – Day 3 – Spiritual Rigidity
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Title: Breaking Free from Spiritual Rigidity
Scripture: Matthew 10:16 (NIV) – “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.”
Devotional:
In Matthew 10:16, Jesus gives His disciples a powerful instruction as He prepares them to go out into a world that will often oppose them: “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.” This is not just a poetic or metaphorical line—it’s a challenge to embrace a paradox. How can we be both vulnerable and wise, soft-hearted and sharp-minded, gentle and strategic?
Too often, in our effort to remain faithful, we become spiritually rigid. We mistake rigidity for holiness, believing that inflexibility in thought, method, or tradition is the same as being uncompromising in truth. But spiritual rigidity can make us brittle, defensive, and unadaptable—unable to engage meaningfully with a complex and broken world.
The Danger of Rigidity
Spiritual rigidity shows up in many forms. It may look like refusing to consider new ways to share the gospel because “that’s not how we’ve always done it.” It may sound like harsh judgments toward those who don’t fit our mold of what a “good Christian” looks like. It might even feel like fear—fear of the unknown, fear of being misunderstood, or fear of being wrong.
Yet Jesus doesn’t call us to fear. He calls us to wisdom. He tells us to be “shrewd as snakes”—wise, alert, discerning. Snakes are known for their cautious movement and their ability to sense danger. That’s the kind of spiritual alertness Jesus wants from us—not paranoia, but perception. At the same time, He says we must be “innocent as doves”—pure in heart, gentle in spirit, and sincere in love.
This balance—shrewdness and innocence—is impossible if we are rigid. A rigid spirit cannot bend without breaking. It clings to certainty in all things, forgetting that we walk by faith, not by sight.
Flexibility Within Faith
Being flexible does not mean abandoning truth. The core truths of our faith are immovable: the gospel, the lordship of Jesus, the authority of Scripture. But the ways we apply, understand, and express these truths must be guided by the Holy Spirit and adapted to the context we are in.
Jesus Himself modelled this. He healed on the Sabbath, spoke to Samaritans, touched lepers, and challenged religious norms—not because He was rebellious, but because He saw the heart of the law, not just the letter. He moved in compassion and truth, not tradition for tradition’s sake.
When we hold so tightly to forms, rituals, or even theological systems that we become unteachable or unloving, we close ourselves off from the fresh work of the Spirit. Spiritual rigidity resists change. It fears innovation. But God is always doing a new thing (Isaiah 43:19), and if we’re too rigid, we might miss it.
Living Shrewd and Innocent Lives
Jesus calls us to be sheep among wolves, which is no small assignment. This means we live in a world that may not share our values or understand our faith. In such a world, we must not be naive, nor must we be combative. Instead, we are called to be strategic and sincere, wise and humble, alert and compassionate.
A flexible spirit listens before it speaks. It adapts without compromising. It remains anchored in truth, yet open to how God may move in new ways. As we grow in Christ, we learn to release rigidity and embrace maturity—a maturity marked by both discernment and love.
Reflection Questions:
- In what areas of your life have you confused spiritual rigidity with faithfulness?
- How can you cultivate both wisdom (shrewdness) and innocence in your interactions with others this week?
- What might God be asking you to let go of so that you can embrace a more flexible, Spirit-led faith?
Closing Prayer:
Dear Lord, Papa God.
You have called me to walk a narrow path—one that requires both wisdom and innocence. Forgive me for the times I’ve confused rigidity with righteousness, for the times I’ve clung to control rather than trusted in You. Help me to be flexible in Your hands, like clay shaped by the Master Potter. Teach me to discern without judgment, to love without compromise, and to follow You with a heart that is both bold and tender. Let my life be a reflection of Your grace and truth. In Jesus name we pray.
Amen.
Graham Hood
