There is a way to avoid being deceived
Imagine this. A shyster comes through your neighborhood and talks an elderly widow into a new roof, collects $15,000 from her, blows town with her money, and she ends up with no new roof or a shoddy job. What are two things he needs to accomplish his deed? His guile and her gullibility. Imagine this. You read an email from a stranger who is supposedly in Nigeria and has 2 million dollars he wants to give you. All he needs is your bank account information, and he will make the deposit. What two things does he need to accomplish this deed? His guile and your gullibility. He plays on your greed, your desire to take shortcuts.
Paul wrote “that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.” It is clear from Scripture that “human cunning” works best on children, and on gullible and immature believers who have not grown up on the milk and the meat of God’s Word. Every heresy that has ever been foisted upon the church depends on the ignorance and gullibility of immature believers to be successful. If the man on TV is telling you to put your hands on the TV set and receive a blessing, what does he depend on for you to do that? Ignorance and gullibility. How do I know that the man telling you to put your hands on the TV set does not have your best interests at heart? Because in the next breath, he is asking you to put your hands on your checkbook or your wallet. He is telling you that in order to really get a blessing from God, you need to give him some money. Why are these guys still on television, saying the same things they said 40 years ago? Because it works!
The last phrase Paul used, “craftiness in deceitful scheming,” reminds me of an animal stalking its prey. We have a dog and a cat at the Fox den. And I have never seen our dog stalk anything. Maybe his food bowl as he “lies in wait” for it to be filled up. The cat is a different story. I love to watch her try and catch a bird. The only way an earth-bound cat can catch a healthy bird is with deceitful scheming, with infinite patience, and with a 48-inch vertical leap.
If you don’t believe there are traps being set for you on a daily basis, then you believe denial is just a big ol’ river in Egypt. How many credit card applications did you get in the mail last week? How many creditors sent you checks, made out to you, for large amounts? All you have to do is sign the check and cash it, and you are set! Bass boat, here I come. Trip to the Bahamas, I am there. New 65-inch OLED television, come to Papa! What the creditors do not tell you is that you will end up paying more than double on what they just “gave” you.
The best way to shyster-proof yourself and your family is to follow the principles in the Bible. I am not saying that because I am a preacher. I am saying that because it is the truth. Read the Bible. Get involved in a good church that really believes the Bible and teaches it.
And just send a smiley face back to the “Nigerian” crook who has two million he would like to give you.