Christians live in a fallen world, and it is tempting to tell ourselves that it is not as bad as Christ says it is. We can create for ourselves a more illusory version of the world and convince ourselves that human nature is not so sinful. It is true, that people are not as bad as they can possibly be. Sin has not yet gone as far as it is able to go in every direction. It is true that parents can train up their children to behave in a way that is free from the extremes of evil. But we need to be on our guard. Especially when we are involved in an onslaught on the kingdom of darkness; then we can expect retaliation. In this verse Christ uses the nature of four animals he has created to teach us. There is much we can learn from creation, and the lessons are put there deliberately. The serpent was known for its subtlety or astuteness from the beginning. Christians are to adopt that astuteness because they are dealing with those who make use of cunning and deceit constantly. We have to be discerning. We have to see past people’s pretended motivation and realise that so often they have another agenda, which possibly even they are only dimly aware of. But at the same time we must do nothing that will make us like them. We cannot justify evil means to reach a good end. This may sometimes mean that we make difficulties for ourselves, and involve ourselves in hardships which the world would brush aside as unnecessary. We must stick scrupulously to the truth even though it gets us into trouble. We must diligently avoid sin however easy it is made for us to participate in it. We must avoid joining with the wicked in their practices, however much they take offense at our standoffishness. We must give no cause for offense. We must understand that if the world succeeded in tempting us, it would soon turn again and accuse us.