As the
worldwide financial crisis deepened in 2010, executives of a global banking
firm were investigated for deceiving their customers about the risk involved in
certain investments they were selling. While promising a high rate of return,
the banking firm knew that the investments were destined to fail, leaving those
who purchased them with nothing.
Deception
is nothing new. Jesus described Satan as one who “does not stand in the truth,
because there is no truth in him . . . for he is a liar and the father of it”
(John 8:44). The enemy of our souls tells us, “Live only for the present,” when
he knows it will result in our eternal loss.
Jesus, on
the other hand, did not offer His disciples a life of prosperity and ease but
called them to self-sacrifice and identification with Him. After telling them
that He would be killed and raised from the dead, Jesus said, “If anyone
desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily,
and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever
loses his life for My sake will save it” (Luke 9:23-24).
There are
two voices telling us where to invest our lives. It’s risky business to follow
the wrong one.
If we
hold on to God’s truth, we won’t be trapped by lies. (RBC)
