Serpent: Symbol of Wisdom
The serpent isn't necessarily an evil symbol. A serpent can represent Wisdom. However, there are different levels of wisdom, and the lowest levels might be best known as darkness, deception, fallacy, or lies.
So, what makes wisdom higher or lower, dark or light?
The difference is the amount of selfless love or selfish love that is conjoined to wisdom. As mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13, even if we have all wisdom, if we are void of love (care, empathy, and the intention of wanting the best for everyone - even our enemy) then we are empty (worthless, and blinded). The serpent in the garden of Eden might be a representation of wisdom without love; or wisdom with a selfish and blinded love.
The serpent on the pole that heals those who meditate upon it (in Exodus 21:8,9) represents the highest Wisdom: Selfless Love. This is also what Jesus represents: The highest wisdom is to live fearlessly, with unapologetic compassion for others, always forgiving all things, and making every choice in your life from the selfless motive of "what is best for others in this moment".
Jesus also used the serpent as a metaphorical symbol for wisdom when he said, "be as wise as snakes and as harmless as doves." (Matthew 10:16). Jesus teaches us that we should acquire the wisdom of the serpent, but makes sure to wisely remind us to combine it with the harmlessness (gentle love) of the dove. If we want to be living in higher wisdom then we must have higher love within us too.
We should desire and pursue higher wisdom and knowledge, but we should make sure we have just as much (if not more) pure love and compassion for others. A love and compassion that is "patient and kind. Does not envy, does not boast, and isn't prideful. A love that does not dishonor others, is not self-seeking, is not easily angered, and keeps no record of wrongs. A Love that does not delight in evil or injustice but always rejoices with truth and what is right. Love that always seeks to protect, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres
(1 Corinthians 13:4-7).
Wisdom that is not conjoined with a pure, forgiving, innocent, and selfless love is a lower wisdom. The level at which a specific wisdom resides corresponds to the amount or level of pure selfless love that resides within it. The highest wisdom and being of Light is "The Wisdom and Light of Christ".
Wisdom can be synonymous to truth. And truth is often symbolized by Light. Therefore, symbolically, the highest truth or wisdom can be allegorized by the brightest and most powerful light (or light-being). Many individuals know this "highest" and most "powerful light-being" as the "Light of Christ". All other lights or light-beings are under Christ, even the darkest ones.
Any being that exists is a "light-being", no matter how dark or void of pure selfless-love that individual (or light-being) may be. The light of some individuals is so dim (so void of selfless love) that they may appear to be beings of darkness; this term can be used for purposes of differentiation when needed, but technically we are all light-beings because we are all children of God. We all came from God. He created us all, and He is known as The Father of Lights (James 1:17). Therefore it makes sense that his children are smaller lights. Didn't Christ tell us that we are the light of the world? (Matthew 5:14).
Since Christ came to earth and revealed His love and wisdom, and even descended into hell and revealed His light there, now any light-being (no matter how dark), if they choose, can travel the trajectory (the path of love) to higher light (higher love), and become a brighter and more pure light-being. All they must do is look toward (focus on, meditate on) the pure Christ light (selfless love), and continue choosing to love like Christ.
Simple, daily choices and actions of love toward people, animals, the earth, our past memories, and ourselves, help us to raise our light and our level of wisdom. When we begin falling away, or dwindling from making choices out of pure, selfless, unconditional-love, our wisdom (our light) begins to darken. But this can easily be reversed. Making choices out of selfless love such as forgiveness, generosity, compassion, or kindness will cause our wisdom (light) to rise to a higher and brighter level.
Fear will often try to keep us from making choices out of pure unconditional love. Fear tries to convince us to not forgive, to not trust, and it calls this "protection". Fear is lower wisdom, and it fears the light. But Light loves the darkness. The highest light fears nothing, but loves everything and everyone. That's why the Light came into the darkness. To rescue us. We were the dark beings. And we are still each transitioning into beings of brighter light. "Being formed into the likeness of Christ".
We were darkness, we were snakes. We were void of love. But love came down into darkness. It shone its light of pure, unconditional, selfless-love on us. We were initially fearful and resistant, we even bit at the heel of love, but love crushed (softened) our hardened minds, and we submitted to it. We felt the love of God (of Christ) and suddenly we remembered it. We remembered what it was like to be loved, that we used to live in that love, that we came from (were created by) that Love, and that we once understood the higher wisdom of God. But since then we have fallen.
We fell away from love because, for a moment, we believed that something we wanted was being withheld from us. And when we believe that good is being withheld it creates the internal belief that we are not fully loved. We (God's light-beings) fell away from love when, for a moment, our desire and our will diverted from the most loving desire and will of the Universe. For a moment we desired something that was not for the good of all, it was not from pure love, and this diverted our wisdom away from the highest love. We fell to the earth, lost, and separated from Love (God).
The reawakening to love is now occurring. The serpent (wisdom of God) is now being joined with the dove (Love of God) within us. Many are spiritually awakening to the truths and the wisdom of love. Many are beginning to see that living from more pure and loving intentions, and making choices motivated by selfless love, is the most beneficial way to live.
Don't curl up in fear. Do not coil from the light or from forgiveness. Join what wisdom you think you have to the pure selfless love of Christ. Love will help you to see the fallacies in your current wisdom, and as you recognize and remove these fallacies your light will brighten.
Poem:
I was wisdom,
I was light.
I wanted "my" way -
egos delight.
Eyes were darkened,
day became night.
Thorns grew, and thistles.
There was a battle, a fight.
Wisdom, fallen.
A sorrowful sight.
Love, broken;
Fear stole its bride.
Coiled in fear,
slave to the night,
"Wisdom, I love you," Love cried,
"Here is my life!"
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