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Shrewd: Daring to Live the Startling Command of Jesus
It doesn’t seem to make sense: Jesus tells his disciples to take a lesson from Satan himself.
A scandalous idea? Yes. Essential to the Christian life? Definitely.
Drawing on Jesus’s parable of the shrewd manager in Luke 16, Rick Lawrence explores Jesus’s shocking mandate to be as shrewd as Satan and as innocent as the Holy Spirit. In fact, Jesus implies, if we are going to be any good for the Kingdom of God, we’ve got to be a lot shrewder than we are now.
Shrewd shows us how Jesus was naturally shrewd in every encounter he had, using leverage such as laughter, generosity, and bluntness to influence a situation for good.
God calls us to be shrewd without evil intent, just as Jesus was. Because the truth is that we have no salvation outside of the holy shrewdness of a loving God. And that’s a scandalous story worth telling.
A scandalous idea? Yes. Essential to the Christian life? Definitely.
Drawing on Jesus’s parable of the shrewd manager in Luke 16, Rick Lawrence explores Jesus’s shocking mandate to be as shrewd as Satan and as innocent as the Holy Spirit. In fact, Jesus implies, if we are going to be any good for the Kingdom of God, we’ve got to be a lot shrewder than we are now.
Shrewd shows us how Jesus was naturally shrewd in every encounter he had, using leverage such as laughter, generosity, and bluntness to influence a situation for good.
God calls us to be shrewd without evil intent, just as Jesus was. Because the truth is that we have no salvation outside of the holy shrewdness of a loving God. And that’s a scandalous story worth telling.
272 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2012
73 people are currently reading
308 people want to read
About the author
Rick Lawrence
36 books9 followersRick Lawrence is the long-time editor of GROUP magazine and co-leader of the Simply Youth Ministry Conference. He also speaks frequently for conferences and workshops, consults for national research organizations, and publishes prolifically—with 31 books (authored, coauthored or edited), hundreds of articles, and a small-group curriculum to his credit.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
September 3, 2012
I was intrigued by Shrewd precisely because you don’t hear a lot surrounding this topic. But I was disappointed on the delivery for two reasons. First, the premise is built upon a misunderstanding of the two passages which use the word shrewd (Matthew 10 & Luke 16). Second, and closely related, because the foundation was shaky you never got a crisp definition of what he means by Christian shrewdness.
Let’s addresses my first objection. Matthew 10:16 says, “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” This verse is in the context of persecution and shepherding Jesus’s flock in the midst of wolves. So the command to be wise as a serpent it seems most natural to connect with dealing with the wolves mentioned and the innocent (harmless) as doves connects with dealing with the sheep. Lawrence in the book tries to make the connection between serpent and Satan and dove and the Holy Spirit but Matthew doesn’t seem to make that connection (pp. 34-35).
Luke 16 Jesus tells a parable about the dishonest manager who is about to getting fired so he settles his master’s debts for half price and saves his job. Jesus immediately provides the point of the parable. Jesus says, “ I tell you, use the riches of this world to help others. In that way, you will make friends for yourselves. Then when your riches are gone, you will be welcomed into your eternal home in heaven” (v. 9). Rick suggest Jesus was praising the servant’s dishonesty as a positive model of shrewdness (pp. 153-54) but that line of thought misses the point which Jesus explicit teaches in verse 9.
Now the second objection. The word shrewd rarely occurs and where it does is constrained by the context of these scenarios. It seems then unnatural to lift up this one quality as ultimate for Christian living. I do applaud Rick’s push back on the idea that Christians should just be naive and nice. A kind of simple minded pushover (pp. 45-50). But because of the confusion over the first point and the stretching of the intent the definition of shrewd never comes across clearly. Rick frequently references (pp. 24-27) studying the situation and applying pressure with levers (last 50 pages) and coming at the situation sideways (pp. 142-151). One selection demonstrates the kind of tension due to the unnatural use of these texts and the word shrewd. Rick says,
There are few things we hate more than feeling like someone is playing us for the fool. Even more, we abhor the thought that we might be playing someone for a fool. That’s just not . . . Christian. Shrewdness is a breach of our social contract with each other--our innate agreement to treat others as we’d like to be treated (p. 50 see also p. 143).
Rick seems to be suggesting playing someone would be the Christian thing to do. After finishing the book I was disappointed because I felt like there was something there worth exploring but the presentation and emphasis was all wrong. The something there came out when he made statements like,
This same dynamic was at work in the mother of all shrewd encounters—when the Trinity plotted the over- throw of “the ruler of this world,” winning back God’s beloved from the kingdom of darkness. When Jesus willingly gave up His life as a sacrifice for all, defeating the claims of Satan and stripping him of his authority and power, He knew His Enemy had grown soft after countless millennia spent killing, stealing, and destroying with only spotty resistance. Though the sacrifice was inestimable and the pain was incalculable, it was a relatively easy turn of the wrench for the Sensei of Shrewd. (p. 161 see also p. 61)
But unfortunately the potential didn’t out weight misunderstanding of shrewdness.
Let’s addresses my first objection. Matthew 10:16 says, “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” This verse is in the context of persecution and shepherding Jesus’s flock in the midst of wolves. So the command to be wise as a serpent it seems most natural to connect with dealing with the wolves mentioned and the innocent (harmless) as doves connects with dealing with the sheep. Lawrence in the book tries to make the connection between serpent and Satan and dove and the Holy Spirit but Matthew doesn’t seem to make that connection (pp. 34-35).
Luke 16 Jesus tells a parable about the dishonest manager who is about to getting fired so he settles his master’s debts for half price and saves his job. Jesus immediately provides the point of the parable. Jesus says, “ I tell you, use the riches of this world to help others. In that way, you will make friends for yourselves. Then when your riches are gone, you will be welcomed into your eternal home in heaven” (v. 9). Rick suggest Jesus was praising the servant’s dishonesty as a positive model of shrewdness (pp. 153-54) but that line of thought misses the point which Jesus explicit teaches in verse 9.
Now the second objection. The word shrewd rarely occurs and where it does is constrained by the context of these scenarios. It seems then unnatural to lift up this one quality as ultimate for Christian living. I do applaud Rick’s push back on the idea that Christians should just be naive and nice. A kind of simple minded pushover (pp. 45-50). But because of the confusion over the first point and the stretching of the intent the definition of shrewd never comes across clearly. Rick frequently references (pp. 24-27) studying the situation and applying pressure with levers (last 50 pages) and coming at the situation sideways (pp. 142-151). One selection demonstrates the kind of tension due to the unnatural use of these texts and the word shrewd. Rick says,
There are few things we hate more than feeling like someone is playing us for the fool. Even more, we abhor the thought that we might be playing someone for a fool. That’s just not . . . Christian. Shrewdness is a breach of our social contract with each other--our innate agreement to treat others as we’d like to be treated (p. 50 see also p. 143).
Rick seems to be suggesting playing someone would be the Christian thing to do. After finishing the book I was disappointed because I felt like there was something there worth exploring but the presentation and emphasis was all wrong. The something there came out when he made statements like,
This same dynamic was at work in the mother of all shrewd encounters—when the Trinity plotted the over- throw of “the ruler of this world,” winning back God’s beloved from the kingdom of darkness. When Jesus willingly gave up His life as a sacrifice for all, defeating the claims of Satan and stripping him of his authority and power, He knew His Enemy had grown soft after countless millennia spent killing, stealing, and destroying with only spotty resistance. Though the sacrifice was inestimable and the pain was incalculable, it was a relatively easy turn of the wrench for the Sensei of Shrewd. (p. 161 see also p. 61)
But unfortunately the potential didn’t out weight misunderstanding of shrewdness.
December 30, 2020
A compelling book on a different approach to engaging the world around us with the Gospel. Occasionally can be a little dense and hard to navigate, but overall left me with a great new set of tools to share the Good News.
August 3, 2012
Rick Lawrence Has Done It Again!
When I read Sifted, it touched my heart. But Shrewd…this text touched my mind, rattled my psyche, and challenged me to embrace God in a new and demanding way. Shrewd is a book that commands our attention. I wanted to cling to my concept of Jesus as a passive lamb and now realize that the Jesus of the dark corners, who fights for my soul on a daily basis, is as shrewd as a snake while still being innocent as a dove. This Jesus needs me to witness to others at all levels by whatever means necessary, provided my intentions are pure. I cannot merely employ the tools of compassion, empathy, and understanding in my Christian life. I must also employ my intellect and wisdom to battle the cunning and sly forces that hold us in their grasp.
Shrewd walked me through the parable of the manager in a way that allows me to meet others where they are rather than pushing them into where I would like them to be. Rick Lawrence has done it again, he has unpacked a piece of scripture in such a way that all who read this will forever change their paradigm of understanding of our role as witnesses of Christ’s love for us.
Donna S. Sheperis
When I read Sifted, it touched my heart. But Shrewd…this text touched my mind, rattled my psyche, and challenged me to embrace God in a new and demanding way. Shrewd is a book that commands our attention. I wanted to cling to my concept of Jesus as a passive lamb and now realize that the Jesus of the dark corners, who fights for my soul on a daily basis, is as shrewd as a snake while still being innocent as a dove. This Jesus needs me to witness to others at all levels by whatever means necessary, provided my intentions are pure. I cannot merely employ the tools of compassion, empathy, and understanding in my Christian life. I must also employ my intellect and wisdom to battle the cunning and sly forces that hold us in their grasp.
Shrewd walked me through the parable of the manager in a way that allows me to meet others where they are rather than pushing them into where I would like them to be. Rick Lawrence has done it again, he has unpacked a piece of scripture in such a way that all who read this will forever change their paradigm of understanding of our role as witnesses of Christ’s love for us.
Donna S. Sheperis
August 3, 2012
I was privileged to read the ARC of this book and it has changed the way I think, lead, and live. So often we cower in the face of adversity, unable to think clearly about what our role is in following Christ faithfully. We don't want to just 'make things happen' for fear that we're taking control or manipulating. Shrewd provides a clear process with practical 'levers' (as Rick calls them) nurtured amidst solid biblical and personal narratives that will empower leaders to discern, be curious, and be courageous. One of my favorite leadership books in recent years.
July 31, 2012
I was part of the preview team of this book that is available for sale tomorrow (Aug 1). I cannot say enough good things about this book. As Christians, we tend to always want to be "nice" - but frankly, the Bible never says Jesus was "nice"... it is JESUS that tells this parable of the Shrewd Manager. Lawrence helps us recognize that "shrewd" is not a negative disposition, but an effective one for speaking so others will hear you. Great book!
August 2, 2012
Shrewd is not a bad word any more. This book by Rick Lawrence addresses Jesus' command to be "...shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves..." in a new way. Put aside your preconceived ideas of what shrewdness is and challenge your thinking with what being shrewd really means to the follower of Christ. Your relationships with others may never be the same...
March 18, 2023
The Shrewd Christian
Rick Lawrence takes on the subject of shrewdness from a biblical perspective, an unconventional subject among Christians. It is so unconventional that Lawrence refers to the Parable of the Shrewd Manager (Luke 16:1-8) as the parable you will never hear in church. Lawrence poses the question, does Jesus point to the ‘dishonest’ manager as an example for us? Lawrence also adds Jesus’ statement, “Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves” (Mt. 10:6).
For Lawrence, shrewdness is knowing how things work. “Shrewd people (and Jesus is the Exemplar) first study how things work and then leverage that knowledge to tip the balance in a favored direction” 22. This reminds me of another Christian unconventional book, Hugh Hewitt’s In, But Not Of. In his book, Hewitt does not hide the fact that his book is about ambition; the key consideration is to what end you put it: “The reality for all Christians is the obligation to equip themselves for their greater impact and to seek every opportunity to increase that impact” 6. As Lawrence points out, shrewdness is neutral, what is good or evil is the end toward which it is put.
Toward what end might Christians put shrewdness? Toward telling others of Christ. The author gives three habits of shrewdness:
Habits of Shrewdness:
1. Asking one more question [of people].
2. Thinking like Sherlock Holmes.
3. Pursuing [people] with persistence.
Central to sharing the gospel is observing people, seeing who they are. Seeing, better yet knowing, who people are, the Christian will know how to best minister.
Some of the book is a hard sell. The author admits to negative connotations to shrewdness, and I thought of many as I sometimes resisted the author’s words. Shrewdness can seem manipulative, sly, dishonest, sneaky. With such connotations ministry may be labelled proselytizing, perhaps without scruples. But that is not what Lawrence is advocating. His emphasis on observing people, being honest but forthright with people, and looking at Jesus as exemplifying these very things, is challenging to the nice, polite Christian today. Seeing people for who they are is also what many are calling for today. It can help the Christian be more like Jesus.
Rick Lawrence takes on the subject of shrewdness from a biblical perspective, an unconventional subject among Christians. It is so unconventional that Lawrence refers to the Parable of the Shrewd Manager (Luke 16:1-8) as the parable you will never hear in church. Lawrence poses the question, does Jesus point to the ‘dishonest’ manager as an example for us? Lawrence also adds Jesus’ statement, “Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves” (Mt. 10:6).
For Lawrence, shrewdness is knowing how things work. “Shrewd people (and Jesus is the Exemplar) first study how things work and then leverage that knowledge to tip the balance in a favored direction” 22. This reminds me of another Christian unconventional book, Hugh Hewitt’s In, But Not Of. In his book, Hewitt does not hide the fact that his book is about ambition; the key consideration is to what end you put it: “The reality for all Christians is the obligation to equip themselves for their greater impact and to seek every opportunity to increase that impact” 6. As Lawrence points out, shrewdness is neutral, what is good or evil is the end toward which it is put.
Toward what end might Christians put shrewdness? Toward telling others of Christ. The author gives three habits of shrewdness:
Habits of Shrewdness:
1. Asking one more question [of people].
2. Thinking like Sherlock Holmes.
3. Pursuing [people] with persistence.
Central to sharing the gospel is observing people, seeing who they are. Seeing, better yet knowing, who people are, the Christian will know how to best minister.
Some of the book is a hard sell. The author admits to negative connotations to shrewdness, and I thought of many as I sometimes resisted the author’s words. Shrewdness can seem manipulative, sly, dishonest, sneaky. With such connotations ministry may be labelled proselytizing, perhaps without scruples. But that is not what Lawrence is advocating. His emphasis on observing people, being honest but forthright with people, and looking at Jesus as exemplifying these very things, is challenging to the nice, polite Christian today. Seeing people for who they are is also what many are calling for today. It can help the Christian be more like Jesus.
November 24, 2017
This is a very interesting and fascinating book.
Like me (I suppose most believers) would like to know about the teachings on ‘The parable of the Shrewd Manager’ (Luke 16:1-8)
Throughout the book, the author explore and expresses his understanding and interpretation of the parable of the Shrewd manager (Luke 16:1-8), using many of Jesus’ interactions as recorded in the Scriptures and by reinforcing his views from his personal encounters.
The author rightly concludes in his last pages, that ‘He’s (Jesus) asking us to follow Him as grown-ups, not toddlers. He longs for us to hunger for the “meat”He’s offering and is frustrated when we settle for “milk”...
It’s indeed a challenge for readers to look at (study) Jesus’ interactions from a different perspective of ‘obliquity’ rather than the usual frontal approach.....
It’s a good read, something to motivate and arrest our thinking faculty.
Like me (I suppose most believers) would like to know about the teachings on ‘The parable of the Shrewd Manager’ (Luke 16:1-8)
Throughout the book, the author explore and expresses his understanding and interpretation of the parable of the Shrewd manager (Luke 16:1-8), using many of Jesus’ interactions as recorded in the Scriptures and by reinforcing his views from his personal encounters.
The author rightly concludes in his last pages, that ‘He’s (Jesus) asking us to follow Him as grown-ups, not toddlers. He longs for us to hunger for the “meat”He’s offering and is frustrated when we settle for “milk”...
It’s indeed a challenge for readers to look at (study) Jesus’ interactions from a different perspective of ‘obliquity’ rather than the usual frontal approach.....
It’s a good read, something to motivate and arrest our thinking faculty.
December 10, 2016
To me this book was a challenge. I feel author Rick Lawrence took the shrewd argument a bit far in places. Yes Jesus was shrewd at times, but I feel Lawrence stretched certain instances recorded in the Gospels to fit the shrewd mold a bit at times. Admittedly, I struggle to see when others are acting manipulative, which Lawrence states is the negative way to use leverage in a situation, but I feel wisdom, and not necessarily shrewdness, is the better tool to ask Jesus for in situations that require a leveraged response.
August 21, 2018
There are absolutely some gems in this book that are excellent tools to add to the toolbox. However, I don't believe the author sufficiently articulates what shrewdness actually is, and I think the feeble definition given is inaccurate. Also, the definition is expanded so much by the author that in the end, really shrewdness can simply be defined as intelligence according to the book.
December 3, 2016
This was an excellent book. Really thought-provoking in a challenging and good way. Really made me think about living more intentionally and proactively. Not just taking what comes, but using force or pressure in an honest and innocent way, for Gods glory and the good of others. Great read.
May 28, 2018
Innocent shrewd is hard. It is not just about being smart, but innocent at the same time. Smart without innocence would be manipulation. Lawrence has some good and practical points to learn the art of living smart. I was blessed by the book.
Read
December 27, 2019Excellent!
I have now read Shrewd twice, and have heard new things this time around that I missed the first time. I have been immensely blessed, and propelled in my spiritual life because of Rick's ministry
I have now read Shrewd twice, and have heard new things this time around that I missed the first time. I have been immensely blessed, and propelled in my spiritual life because of Rick's ministry
November 13, 2018
Awesome book! I highly recommend to all believers.
October 10, 2019
This presents a real challenge!
September 4, 2012
Rick Lawrence in his new book, “Shrewd” published by David C. Cook gives us Daring to Live the Startling Command of Jesus.
From the Back Cover: It’s the one Bible story you won’t hear in church.
It doesn’t seem to make sense: Jesus tells his disciples to take a lesson from Satan himself.
A scandalous idea? Yes. Essential to the Christian life? Definitely.
Drawing on Jesus’s parable of the shrewd manager in Luke 16, Rick Lawrence explores Jesus’s shocking mandate to be as shrewd as Satan and as innocent as the Holy Spirit. In fact, Jesus implies, if we are going to be any good for the Kingdom of God, we’ve got to be a lot shrewder than we are now.
Shrewd shows us how Jesus was naturally shrewd in every encounter he had, using leverage such as laughter, generosity, and bluntness to influence a situation for good.
God calls us to be shrewd without evil intent, just as Jesus was. Because the truth is that we have no salvation outside of the holy shrewdness of a loving God. And that’s a scandalous story worth telling.
The Dictionary defines shrewd as, “marked by clever discerning awareness and hardheaded acumen.” I have to admit the parable in Luke chapter 16 is not one of my favorites. Jesus is telling the story and He tells us flat-out at the beginning that the manager is unjust. As the story unfolds we find him acting even more unjust. Yet, at the end of the story, this unjust manager is praised by his master. Then Jesus tells His disciples that they should be shrewd like that manager. He tells them shrewd like a serpent, wise like a dove. Pastor Lawrence has done it again. He has taken a hard teaching from Jesus and make it not only easy to understand but easy to apply to our lives. He has taken the negative connotation out of the word and just made it useful. We need to understand that this is a command from Jesus so not only do we need to understand the parable but we need to apply it to our lives as well. Pastor Lawrence in “Shrewd” has made that possible. Shrewdness, then, is a way of living and relating that Jesus first modeled for us, then commanded us to do likewise. I guarantee you this is not a book you can only read once then put it on the shelf and forget about it. You will come back to it again and again. Everyone should have a copy of this book. It will help immensely!
If you would like to listen to interviews with other authors and professionals please go to www.kingdomhighlights.org where they are available On Demand.
To listen to 24 hours non-stop, commercial free Christian music please visit our internet radio station www.kingdomairwaves.org
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for free from David C. Cook for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
From the Back Cover: It’s the one Bible story you won’t hear in church.
It doesn’t seem to make sense: Jesus tells his disciples to take a lesson from Satan himself.
A scandalous idea? Yes. Essential to the Christian life? Definitely.
Drawing on Jesus’s parable of the shrewd manager in Luke 16, Rick Lawrence explores Jesus’s shocking mandate to be as shrewd as Satan and as innocent as the Holy Spirit. In fact, Jesus implies, if we are going to be any good for the Kingdom of God, we’ve got to be a lot shrewder than we are now.
Shrewd shows us how Jesus was naturally shrewd in every encounter he had, using leverage such as laughter, generosity, and bluntness to influence a situation for good.
God calls us to be shrewd without evil intent, just as Jesus was. Because the truth is that we have no salvation outside of the holy shrewdness of a loving God. And that’s a scandalous story worth telling.
The Dictionary defines shrewd as, “marked by clever discerning awareness and hardheaded acumen.” I have to admit the parable in Luke chapter 16 is not one of my favorites. Jesus is telling the story and He tells us flat-out at the beginning that the manager is unjust. As the story unfolds we find him acting even more unjust. Yet, at the end of the story, this unjust manager is praised by his master. Then Jesus tells His disciples that they should be shrewd like that manager. He tells them shrewd like a serpent, wise like a dove. Pastor Lawrence has done it again. He has taken a hard teaching from Jesus and make it not only easy to understand but easy to apply to our lives. He has taken the negative connotation out of the word and just made it useful. We need to understand that this is a command from Jesus so not only do we need to understand the parable but we need to apply it to our lives as well. Pastor Lawrence in “Shrewd” has made that possible. Shrewdness, then, is a way of living and relating that Jesus first modeled for us, then commanded us to do likewise. I guarantee you this is not a book you can only read once then put it on the shelf and forget about it. You will come back to it again and again. Everyone should have a copy of this book. It will help immensely!
If you would like to listen to interviews with other authors and professionals please go to www.kingdomhighlights.org where they are available On Demand.
To listen to 24 hours non-stop, commercial free Christian music please visit our internet radio station www.kingdomairwaves.org
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for free from David C. Cook for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
September 5, 2013
First of all I liked this book and felt like it kicked me in the pants in a good way. I need to be more attentive to details and thoughtful about how I handle situations and people. I enjoyed Rick Lawrence's writing style, loved his stories and felt encouraged.
However parts of this rubbed me wrong. He encourages us to be strategic in our relationships with others. When this is applied 'evangelistically,' as he suggests, it comes across as manipulative and dishonest. I am not saying there isn't a kernel of truth in what he says or in his use of Jesus' parable of the shrewd servant who knows how to use money to make friends, but I think he oversimplifies a little and ends up saying somethings he doesn't quite intend.
Also there is a lack of clarity in what Lawrence means by 'shrewd.' Sometimes it just means coming at things sideways rather than applying a direct attack (there is a certain wisdom in this). Other times I think he uses it as a catchall term for any thoughtful engagement with relationships, worlds, adversaries, situations, middle school girls, etc.
I liked the book and will likely refer back to some of the practical, interactive sections Lawrence includes (he is an editor for Group Publishing so he can't help himself).
However parts of this rubbed me wrong. He encourages us to be strategic in our relationships with others. When this is applied 'evangelistically,' as he suggests, it comes across as manipulative and dishonest. I am not saying there isn't a kernel of truth in what he says or in his use of Jesus' parable of the shrewd servant who knows how to use money to make friends, but I think he oversimplifies a little and ends up saying somethings he doesn't quite intend.
Also there is a lack of clarity in what Lawrence means by 'shrewd.' Sometimes it just means coming at things sideways rather than applying a direct attack (there is a certain wisdom in this). Other times I think he uses it as a catchall term for any thoughtful engagement with relationships, worlds, adversaries, situations, middle school girls, etc.
I liked the book and will likely refer back to some of the practical, interactive sections Lawrence includes (he is an editor for Group Publishing so he can't help himself).
August 24, 2012
Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves;
so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.
- Jesus in Matthew 10:16
Being shrewd doesn’t sound very positive. But after reading this book, ‘shrewd’ has a whole new meaning. Rick Lawrence gives us insight in what Jesus meant when he told us to be shrewd like serpent and innocent like doves. He does this with biblical knowledge and telling us about his personal experiences. He leads us to the path to shrewd living. We can be shrewd, by understanding how things work, then leveraging that knowledge to apply the right force in the right place at the right time. And we are to live shrewdly but innocently – in the spirit of the dove. So we have freedom from guilt of any kind. A wonderful book!
so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.
- Jesus in Matthew 10:16
Being shrewd doesn’t sound very positive. But after reading this book, ‘shrewd’ has a whole new meaning. Rick Lawrence gives us insight in what Jesus meant when he told us to be shrewd like serpent and innocent like doves. He does this with biblical knowledge and telling us about his personal experiences. He leads us to the path to shrewd living. We can be shrewd, by understanding how things work, then leveraging that knowledge to apply the right force in the right place at the right time. And we are to live shrewdly but innocently – in the spirit of the dove. So we have freedom from guilt of any kind. A wonderful book!
February 11, 2015
The author enjoys using the word "shrewd" more then defining what it actually is. This book is laden with platitudes, shallow exegesis, and extensive citing of sources that are far more interesting than this book. I realize that's harsh, but I truly looked forward to exploring this subject and what I found was fluff--and not even good fluff. The author also seems to wander away form subjects he starts out with--especially at the end looking at six stories that the author never really digs into. He cites the biblical narrative, briefly pays an homage to it in his explanation, then rambles off somewhere else.
Finally, when the author offers his one great example of how he learned to be "shrewd" he keeps it so vague and generalized we never really learn anything except that he was shrewd.
Lame.
Finally, when the author offers his one great example of how he learned to be "shrewd" he keeps it so vague and generalized we never really learn anything except that he was shrewd.
Lame.
July 4, 2025
The parable of the shrewd manager stopped me in my New Testament studies pretty abruptly. This book does a good job dissecting it while simultaneously giving a new lens to view Jesus through. It is still a very complicated parable and while I still may have unanswered questions, this book really gave me so much to think about. I will probably reread it in the future and recommend it to anyone who also struggles with what I think is the most complicated parable of Jesus.
August 10, 2012
Shrewd gave me new meaning to the question, "What would Jesus do?" in a very personal, yet universal way, Rick Lawrence gives insight to how Jesus role-modeled a shrewd life. For me, it gave the word, shrewd, a new connotation. It changed my perspective on how I live and navigate life on a daily basis. Shrewd introduced Jesus to me, all over again.
September 22, 2016
A much-needed look into a side of Jesus that many of us miss. As the author puts it, Jesus is the Sensei of Shrewd. I have a much better understanding of what Jesus meant when He said "be shrewd as a serpent and as innocent as a dove." Every believer who is seeking His kingdom and His righteousness needs to read this!
October 21, 2012
I liked the premise and feel I have a much better understanding of what it means to be "shrewd as a serpent and innocent as a dove"...I just has some problems with Mr. Lawrence's theology of God's sovereignty. Otherwise, excellent!
August 27, 2013
My 24 year old self would have done well to have had this book at the time. Insightful, challenging, hopeful, worthwhile. Just a few words to describe this book and it's message. A must read for anyone in positions of leadership or influence especially.
September 12, 2014
I appreciate what the author was trying to convey. I found the book, however, a bit meandering and 'slow.' I think the idea could have been condensed. Not a horrible read, just not one a top contender for me.
July 10, 2016
Absolutely one of the best books I have ever read. For someone like me who is wide open when he needs to be holding things close to the vest, this was a GREAT perspective.
October 21, 2013
Great insight on a verse in scripture and a command that's often ignored.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews