A Fool for Christ

In most sports, you will notice one of the preparations the coach does is to understand the opponent so as to know how to overcome him. Just going into a fight without knowing your opponent’s strengths and weaknesses places you at a serious disadvantage and the likeliness to lose. Surely any sportsman will attest to this. Today I want us to explore a little the lying scheme of the devil and remind you and me, of one of the strategies to overcome it.

One of the tricks the enemy uses to deceive us is telling us that God’s way is not the best way and that another way which is sinful is better. In the scriptural verse for today, we see how the serpent is pretending to be a good Samaritan to Eve and presenting to her the advantages of eating the fruit God instructed Adam and Eve not to eat. The serpent packaged sin or disobedience as an opportunity for growth or a better life. He succeeded, in effect, to convince Eve that God didn’t really command her for her good in other words God here was bad and he was good; he is trying to help. 2 Corinthians 11:14:  “And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.” It is a common trick the devil and his agents continue to use today.

Perhaps a question Eve could have asked the serpent is “Who are you and what is your gain in this matter?”. Many times asking this question either directly or in contemplation about an agent of the devil can help expose the real motives of this devil incarnate. It is always for their good or evil motive. Someone may say “Join our occult to get rich” knowing it is a terrible trap he already got into simply because he might gain some advantage by getting a new recruit.

Now it becomes a little trickier when it is the devil himself trying to trick you. Remember He is constantly roaming looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). One way He does this is that through the needs of your flesh, the devil suggests his rebellious thoughts. Admittedly sometimes I am thinking like “Is God’s way really the best? Wouldn’t it be better if I had multiple sex partners? If  I were fornicating”. Yet God has said fornicators will not inherit His kingdom (1 Corinthians 6:9). So is God being wicked commanding me not to do what seems enjoyable and fun? This is similar to the dilemma Eve had; the devil suggesting what seems better than God’s command. Now Eve may be acquitted because she didn’t know God but fortunately, we do. Through the word of God, we know that God is good. So even when we don’t understand yet we can trust Him, not the devil. Is it just like when a parent says to the child give me this sweet just to test if she can give it and she gives it because she knows the parent is the one who provided that sweet and cares about her? The child trusts the parent. When it’s not making sense you can simply say “I AM A FOOL FOR CHRIST. I don’t understand it now but surely you oh Lord are good and your ways are good”. Later on, you will understand and be glad you simply trusted and obeyed.

Let’s thank God for His mercy. Let’s pray for the grace to trust and obey His commands knowing that He is good.