When Jesus warned his disciples about the persecution coming their way, he told them to “be wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16). Doing so well requires the practical awareness to discern the real threats from the false and the Christ-centered focus to make sure we don’t respond in a way that would justify them. That’s hard to do, which is why Jesus followed that command with the assurance that we won’t have to do it alone (Matthew 10:20).
Christians and Jews believed that all persons were made in the image of God. Thus, every person had intrinsic worth and dignity, no matter their race, ethnicity, gender, or strength. On this basis, oppression of the poor and weak was condemned. Neither might nor wealth made right. Christianity further emphasized the spiritual and moral equality of all people. Not only do we all share the same humanity, but we all suffer from the same problem (sin) and are in need of the same solution (salvation through Jesus).
