Reflections: ‘Beware of dogs’, the Apostle Paul sternly cautioned the Philippian church. The word ‘beware’ is to be ‘cautious and alert to risks or dangers’. Paul’s statement literally implies that if you fail to look out for dogs lurking around and within your environment, you could be taken off guard and get bitten by one unexpectedly. In this instance however, he uses ‘dog’ in a figurative sense to describe the presence of people who seek to cause harm to those of the Christian faith. He was actually referring to the Jews who held on to the old age law of circumcision and had become hostile to the christian faith for believing in the circumcision of the heart rather than the outward one. Paul wanted the church to avoid them by becoming cautious and alert to their harmful ways and destructive tactics. This introduces us to one of the important principles in life – the need not to take things for granted but rather to be cautious and alert to risks and dangers within our environment both physically and spiritually. Indeed there are ‘dogs’ around and there will always be. Just stay alert!

Prayer: Dear Lord, by your Spirit, please help me to be on the look out for enemies in disguise.

Confession: I will not be taken unawares by my enemies or by dangers around me. I am on the lookout by the help of the Holy Spirit.