Ever watched an infomercial—a 30-minute commercial disguised as a TV program? I have! In fact, I know all about the Veg-O-Matic and the Pocket Fisherman. And who could forget the Ginsu Steak Knives? I’ve yet to be coaxed into calling and placing an order for items like these, but on occasion I’ve found watching infomercials to be the right “entertainment” when sleep was hard to find at 2 a.m.
The pitch lines for infomercials make me laugh. “Call right now and we’ll double your order” is a classic. To sweeten the deal, one advertiser even offers to throw in a set of knives that will cut through brick (or so they claim).
Perhaps the most used pitch is “But wait, there’s more!” This sort of high-pressure sales line reminds me of the angle Satan took with Eve back in the garden of Eden. First, he emphatically declared that Eve would not die if she ate fruit from the forbidden tree (Genesis 3:4). But he didn’t stop there. On top of eluding death, Satan went on to claim that consuming fruit from the forbidden tree would cause her to “be like God” (Genesis 3:5).
Satan’s offer sounded sweet and convincing to Eve. But instead of being the real deal, the whole thing was completely bogus. The truth? Eve was already like God. He created her and her husband Adam “in His own image” (Genesis 1:27). There wasn’t more—at least not in the way Satan implied. In fact, things couldn’t have been any better. But Satan still craftily offered more—lies that actually led to less.
Heavenly Father, give us eyes to see through Satan’s false offers of life that will take us away from the true life that is found only in Your Son Jesus.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Luke 24:44-53
More:
Notice that the idea of more is a biblical theme (Matthew 7:11; Jude 2).
Next:
When have you been tempted to go after more, only to find that it was actually less? What did that experience teach you about following God?
songoftriumph on October 4, 2012 at 2:24 pm
The words used to describe the devil say a lot… He is described as a roaring lion seeking to devour – 1 Peter 5:8. Other words are crafty, cunning… We are told to resist him and he will flee – James 4:7. “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes” Eph. 6:11. And the Lord has promised we will never be tempted beyond what we are able. We must remain viligiant and always ready for the devil’s sly attacks and be can be thankful if we are faithful and look to Him, we will have strength to resist!
winn collier on October 7, 2012 at 10:24 pm
lies always take away, tear apart, don’t they? I read today an early Church Father talking about how that Satan’s work is only parasitic. He can only eat away from what is good.