On the surface, one would definitely think that serpents and doves can have no fellowship whatsoever. However, Jesus used these two creatures to illustrate two character traits that needed to be possessed by His apostles then and are needed by all Christians today.
“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves” (Matt. 10:16a). As a Christian, do you ever feel like you are a sheep living among wolves? That’s one set of creatures that have nothing good in common. So, as that sheep, Jesus instructs, “Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves” (10:16b). God tells us to be wise or shrewd as serpents. Brethren, we need to keep our eyes open and be cautiously and honestly mindful of things happening around us (cf. Eph. 5:15-16; 1 Pet. 5:18). God tells us to be harmless or innocent as doves. Brethren, while we need to be aware of our surroundings and the evil that is there, we must preserve our innocence from it. God said it this way in Romans 16:19, “I want you to be wise in what is good, and innocent in what is evil.” Are you serpent-like? Are you dove-like?