What Lurks Beneath the Surface?

Squaw Root

Indian Pipe

Something I have noticed lately is that it is really easy for people to be enticed by pretty packaging, or patriotic rhetoric.  But everything may not be as it seems.  Sometimes as believers we need to step back and dig a little deeper, and research how the packaging or rhetoric stacks up to God's Word.

The Squaw Root and Indian Pipe pictured above, while being attractive plants (or at least I think so), or at least interesting looking plants, are both parasitic.  Meaning they are by some mechanism gaining their nourishment from another plant.  In this case, they are both root parasites, although technically for the Indian Pipe there is a fungus intermediary.  So, while what is above ground is intriguing, what is below ground smells of evil.

We are bombarded with similarly intriguing things in our everyday lives.  But do they stack up to God's Word.  I have a few litmus tests that I use.  First of all, Jesus narrowed all of the commandments down to two (Matthew 22:37-39), love God and love your neighbor.  If the enticement passes the love test, I move on to test number two, found in Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."

If the enticement passes this test, then my final litmus test is this, Proverbs 6:16-19, "There are six things the Lord hates,
    seven that are detestable to him:
¹⁷         haughty eyes,
        a lying tongue,
        hands that shed innocent blood,
¹⁸         a heart that devises wicked schemes,
        feet that are quick to rush into evil,
¹⁹         a false witness who pours out lies
        and a person who stirs up conflict in the community."

Once the enticement has passed these three tests, then I am good to go forth and enjoy!  There is a lot floating around our nation right now that is unable to pass these three tests.  Guard yourselves against it and always seek God's truth!