Imitating The Serpent

Φρονίμους ἡμᾶς εἶναι κατὰ τὸν ὄφιν κελεύει ὁ Κύριος, ἐν παντὶ πειρασμῷ συντηροῦτας τὴν κεφαλὴν ἡμῶν, ἥτις ἐστὶν ἡ πίστις ἡμῶν, εὐμαθέστατε. Ὅσαις γὰρ ἂν περιστάσεσι καὶ πληγαίς ὁ ὄφις συνέχηται, τὴν ἑαυτοῦ φυλάττει κεφαλὴν ἀβλαβῆ. Καὶ πάλιν σοφισμῷ τὴν παλαίωσιν ἀποδύεται ἐν στενωπῇ τινι παρεισδύσει θλιβόμενος, καὶ τὸ γῆρας ἀποτιθέμενος. Βούλεται τοίνυν καὶ ἡμᾶς διὰ τῆς στενῆς ὁδοῦ καὶ κακώσεως τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον ἀπεκδύεσθαι, καὶ τὸν νέον ἀνταμφιέννυσθαι, τὸν κατὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ εἰκόνα ἀνακαικούμενον. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ PKϚ' Ἑρμινῳ Κομητι Source: Migne 78.268a

The Lord enjoins us to be as wise as serpents, 1 most excellent fellow, so that in every trial we might keep our heads. Indeed whenever the serpent suffers from adverse events and blows it preserves its head uninjured. And again with art and cunning is sheds its old skin, even into narrow and tight places constricting itself, casts off the old. Therefore He wishes that on the narrow and difficult way we shed the old man and put on the new one, which is to be renewed in His image. 2 Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 126, to Count Herminos 1 Mt 10.16 2 Mt 7.13-14, Ephes 4.24, Colos 3.10