Deception Perception

We had a family member at our house visiting one time. She was studying veterinary medicine and preparing for a test on large animals. She was going down a list of some different breeds of cows...not the least bit confident about her studies when I piped up and asked her, "Hey, do you have a How Now Brown on that list?" OK, so maybe it was a little mean but it was also really funny (and if you don't get it, ask somebody) because she spent a couple of minutes looking before she got it! But the thing is, I deceived her mostly because she wasn't expecting me to...why she wouldn't when I do stuff like that all of the time I don't know, but she did so there you go.

I think we're all capable of falling prey to the same kind of deception. I look around and see a lot of what is going on in the world and it just seems like anytime something or someone comes along that "seems right", we're quick to jump on board and believe it whether it holds water or not...and especially if we can keep from ticking anybody off by doing so. When did we become this milk-toast society that doesn't want to accept failure as a part of life, that's afraid to believe in something if it's going to upset someone? Jesus said He is the way, the truth, and the life. If that flies against someone else's feelings or beliefs, well, too bad.

Jesus also warned His followers, along with the rest of us, about deception and why we should be on guard against it. Check this out, all from the 24th chapter of Matthew:

Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many.

At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.

At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'There he is!' do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible. See, I have told you ahead of time.

A really good clue as to the importance of what's being said in the Bible is how many times in the span of one passage a word gets repeated. Deceive appeared five times over a span of twenty verses. There is deception running rampant in the world today and it would be really easy for us to fall into the trap of believing it. Now more than ever, we need to cling to our truth who is Christ and to keep sharing Him with others. We've been warned about it so guard against it, keep the faith, and stand strong!