How do you deal with sly people? Do you like dealing with them? Would you prefer to avoid them? What if you have no choice in the matter? Can you identify them as being sly? Do you try to be sly in return? What if the sly person you are dealing with is a government leader?
We may remark that someone is trying to be sly, but we have caught them in it. We then change our behavior or how we will react to their attempt at being sly. We may even chuckle at their attempt. But there are some who can be sly while appearing to be completely honest.
King Herod was being sly. He was conniving. He was a ruthless ruler who killed members of his own family because he thought they were seeking to usurp his authority. The Jews feared him. When he was frightened at hearing the ‘king of the Jews’ was born, so were the Jews who heard the news. They could foresee more killing being commanded by King Herod.
Notice that after King Herod was told by the chief priests and scribes where the Messiah would be born, he secretly gathered the wise men to learn the exact time the star appeared. Herod’s mind was already working on a plan to kill the child. Yet, he pretended he would pay homage to child in an effort to trick the wise men.
We may encounter sly and conniving people as well. It becomes more difficult to react appropriately to them when they are managers or leaders appointed over us. We must be both discerning and conscientious. To obtain the discernment we need, we should pray. God knows the entire situation and will guide us in the path we should take, which may include avoidance, specific opposition, or walking away from the situation entirely.
I pray we all ask God for discernment. I pray we seek to identify conniving and sly people. I pray each one of us ask God to guide us and follow his guidance on the pathway he wants us to walk. Spend time in prayer. Ask God for guidance. Ask God for discernment. Follow God’s guidance.
Matthew 2:7-8 Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.”
Marty Pressey 