'You should be wise as serpents and innocent as doves'

OK, so what does that really mean?  Is it actually possible to be trully savvy, astute, intuitive, thoughtful and wise whilst at the same time being gentle, vulnerable, open-hearted, positive thinking and innocent?

Which is our more natural leaning, and why?

Does 'wisdom' have the potential to slide into cynicism and mistrust, the erection of barriers, of a seige mentality that refuses to take risks?

Does 'innocence' have the potential to slide into gullibility, foolhardiness, abdication of critical faculties, of an attitude that risks all in a foolish way?

How do we respond when our tendency to one or other proves unhelpful?

I wonder, gentle readers, which is your greater tendency - suspicion or gullibility, defensiveness or openness, self-protection or vulnerability?

This post is not a response to one 'event' or 'issue' just me wondering 'out loud' where and when I lean too far to one or other extreme, and why.

Wise AND innocent... that's a tough call!