Genesis 8:11 The dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf!.
The logo of the World Peace Organisation is a dove with an olive branch in its mouth. Over the centuries many different cultures, countries and communities have developed peace symbols with a turtledove to communicate peace, harmony and reconciliation. Dove that came back to Noah with freshly sprouted foliage represented the end of the flood and the beginning of new life. Metaphorically, the dove in the WPO logo is a symbol of peace, the end of bloodshed and a new beginning.
When Jesus trained His disciples to go out into the world and preach the gospel He warned them “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16). Jesus was persistently questioned, criticised and confronted by the religious, political and legalistic leaders. They questioned His authority to forgive sins. They criticised Him and confronted Him for healing the sick on Sabbath and constantly misinterpreted, misunderstood and misjudged Him like ravaging wolves. So among the Pharisees, Political leaders and temple police, Jesus advised His disciples to be as wise as serpents but innocent as doves.
The above allegory is incongruent yet, interwoven. A dove is loyal, consistent, affable, honest and friendly and a snake is sharp, swift and shrewd. Sharpness of the snake is the spiritual clarity, focus and lucidity but the innocence of a dove is the purity in the intentions, motivations and actions. The purity of a dove will make the thoughts, craftiness and wickedness of the offenders transparent to us while the remarkably sensitive hearing stimuli of a snake, to the voice of the Holy Spirit, will guide our response, replies and reactions.
Three lessons from the dove:
1. Loyal: Honesty, integrity and loyalty is the advertisement that will propagate the love of Jesus. Until the dove found a home, it went out of the ark and returned back to Noah while we read that the raven kept flying back and forth from the ark until the water dried up. The raven, unlike the dove, was feeding on the dead, decaying, decomposing corps and remained on the earth. Loyalty will nurture truth and will never feed on futile, fitly or fruitless soul food. Loyalty tags royalty.
2. Lucid: Dove as a symbol of peace promotes logical, rational and sensible solution not war, murder and violence. We, as ambassadors of Jesus are called to be peace-makers not piece-makers! Proverbs 16:28 A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends. Lucidity tags honesty.
3. Love: A dove is innocent, pure and candid in its approach unlike a raven that is sneaky, tricky and devious. Jesus advised His disciples to approach ministry with love not with a hidden agenda, selfish interest and insidious or ulterior motives. Serve with love and without the expectation of reciprocation. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves (Philippians 2:3). Love tags authenticity.
The rudimentary rule to “serving” is loyalty, lucidity and purity as a dove. Dove doesn’t retaliate hatred with violence; slyness with slander or craftiness with coldness. The tag of divine imagery is royalty, honesty and authenticity.
Psalms 74:19 Do not deliver the soul of your dove to the wild beasts.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to be like an innocent dove yet shrewd as a snake and may my response only be in purity and love and not in malice and hatred. Amen
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