Self-Deception

IMG_59391Stephanie and Nathan and family made it safely to Dillon at about 9:30 p.m. last night. We have had a condo unit filled with excited children, enjoying each others’ company. Today the group set out to do some sledding and then this afternoon we enjoyed ourselves at the indoor pool in on our complex. Christian and Bridget have come up this afternoon to join us and to take their kids home for the rest of the week.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY…  For if anyone considers himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himselfDon’t be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows he will also reap, because the one who sows to his flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit.” Galatians 6:3,7,8 HCSB

Deception is believing something that is not true. It us usually caused by the influence and thoughts of others. The serpent deceived Eve in the garden, by telling her God was keeping something from her and that her life could be enhanced by eating of the fruit of the tree. Since that time there have been all kinds of deception. Whether through selling products or convincing others of a belief system or way of life that is false.

One of the greatest forms of deception is “self” deception. That is when I convince myself that something false is true. That something wrong is right, or something right is wrong. As Paul writes to the Galatians he is speaking about our freedom in Christ. He addresses the importance of being “led by the Spirit” and cultivating the “fruit of the Spirit” and not the “acts of the carnal nature.” (Galatians 5) As he ends his letter, he talks about our responsibility to one another as believers in Christ and the importance of “carrying each others burdens.”

As Paul addresses our mutual responsibility to each other, he basically says, “pride is a form of self-deception.” We all have struggles, we all have faults and burdens. Thinking we are above others is a sure way to find out the opposite. “Pride comes before a fall.” (Prov. 16:18)

Paul also says we are deceived if we fail to understand the relationship between sowing and reaping. In the natural world we observe that we do reap what we sow and we reap, more than what we sow. At least that is the hope of every farmer or gardener. Paul is specific on the spiritual application, we either sow to the “flesh” or the “Spirit.” We deceive ourselves if we believe we can sow to the carnal nature and reap spiritual benefits. It just doesn’t happen that way. When we sow to the “Spirit” we reap eternal life from the Spirit.

We can take this concept too far in terms of practical issues of life. Especially in the context of “good things happening to bad people and bad things happening to good people.” The issue Paul focuses on is the ultimate “harvest” and accounting.

A new acquaintance of mine suffered the death of his teen daughter. She was just entering her years at a Christian college and was a devoted follower of Christ. A rare illness, caused a debilitation that eventually took her life. He made the comment to me, “I’m beginning to question the “sowing and reaping” concept, because there was nothing she did to deserve what she got.”

I was saddened by the loss of this daughter. But as I thought about her life and his comment, I realized that “sowing and reaping was proven true.” This daughter sowed to the “Spirit” and while her death was difficult and sad, she “reaped eternal life” just as Christ has promised.

We find solid truth to build our lives on, in God’s  Word and in relationship with Him. So we need to keep believing, to keep trusting, to stay humble and to keep supporting others and receiving support from others. As Paul concludes,

“So we must not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, we must work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.” (Galatians 6:9,10 HCSB)