Matthew 7:10
“Or if he asks for a fish, who will give him a serpent?”
What does Matthew 7:10 mean?
Jesus is reassuring us about God's character in one of the most comforting passages in Scripture. He's saying that when you ask your Father in heaven for something good, He won't twist that request into something harmful or dangerous. If your child asks for bread, you don't hand them a stone; if they ask for fish, you don't give them a snake. The beautiful point underneath is that God knows what we actually need and isn't playing tricks on us. Even earthly parents, flawed as we are, want to give good gifts to their kids rather than mock them or cause them pain. Jesus uses this everyday logic to show that God's heart toward us is even more generous and protective than that. When you're struggling to trust that God cares about your wellbeing, this verse reminds you that a loving parent's instinct is written into the very fabric of how God loves.