"With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him. "Those who are wise will instruct many, though for a time they will fall by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered. When they fall, they will receive a little help, and many who are not sincere will join them. Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time. "
There are two reasons someone embraces a cause. One, because they truly believe in it. The other reason can be less honorable.
When I used to work at a high-profile ministry, I met a man who could knock you over with his sincerity. He was a real story: He had no family, and he'd been on his own for quite some time. He became a successful businessman. Unfortunately, his partner had swindled him and took all the assets, leaving him destitute. He was a devout Christian, and a very sweet guy, and was just looking for another big break that would put him back on top again.
Unfortunately, it was all a lie. He was an accomplished con artist. The high profile and big crowds at the church made it possible for him to move about relatively easily without being detected. He had been to many events, and had his picture taken at several of them with the Pastor, so it looked like the two of them were close. He also put together a network of legitimate "friends"; folks who would know him, say hello to him, and call him by name, unaware that he was using them to give him a legitimacy. He knew the morning schedules of those who were on to him, and was able to find his way around without being sighted.
He would come and go. Usually when he disappeared it meant someone had been conned and he decided to lay low for a while. It caused the ministry a lot of trouble. We managed to tip off the police whenever we discovered he was working another parishoner, but every time he got arrested he would get off with a minimal sentence, and within a year he would be back to his same old tricks.
Christianity, because of it's stress on forgiveness, is especially vulnerable to these kinds of things. We want to believe people when they say that Jesus Christ changed their lives. But it is a sad fact that there are some out there who have no conscience, and can convincingly profess Christ, but with total insincerity. Other entities suffer as well: Many so-called minority leaders profess a commitment to the cause of equality, while misinforming their constituency regarding policies that seem so good, but actually work to the detriment of "their people." Why? Because what would a minority need with a leader, if members were fully functioning well within society? Keep them enslaved, keep them indebted to their leadership!
Today's column is to serve as a warning: We cannot afford the luxury of complacency. Be careful. Trust those who can prove their trustworthiness. Look beyond the surface and try to find the real people you deal with. Jesus went beyond the surface. He saw into people's hearts. With prayer, and carful observation, we can and must do the same. Don't take a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) approach to life.
You can be discerning without being judgmental. Look deeper, and act accordingly.
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