Daily Devotional
"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves."
Matthew 7:15
Jesus does not begin with a suggestion. He begins with a command: beware. That is not a word you use about something that might happen. You do not warn your children about sharks in the parking lot, because there are no sharks in the parking lot. You warn them at the edge of the ocean, because that is where the danger actually is. When Jesus says beware, he is telling us that the danger is real and that it is coming.
Notice where the danger stands. A false prophet is not an outsider throwing rocks over the fence. The very word prophet places him inside the community of God’s people. He claims to speak for God. He wants a seat at the table, a place in the small group, a hearing from the pulpit. Jesus warns that the greatest threat to the flock is not the wolf outside the fence but the wolf already inside it, wearing wool. As Paul told the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:29-30, fierce wolves would come in among them, and from among their own number men would rise up speaking twisted things to draw away disciples after themselves.
This is sobering, but it is also a mercy. A shepherd who warns his sheep about wolves is a shepherd who loves them. Jesus is not trying to make us paranoid. He is trying to keep us awake. The appetite underneath the disguise is real, and it feeds on people. To be warned is to be cared for.
Today's Challenge
Where are you tempted to assume that a spiritual leader must be trustworthy simply because he says the right things or holds a title? What would it look like to be alert without becoming suspicious of everyone?
Prayer
Father, thank you that you love your people enough to warn us. I confess that I am often careless about who I follow and quick to trust a confident voice. Give me a heart that treasures the truth and a mind that stays awake. Keep me close to your word and close to your people, so that I am not easily led astray. In Jesus' name, Amen.
