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)
