The Shady Salesman
For those of you who are old enough to remember, a sales job used to be a door- to- door experience. Now we get to experience the luxury of telemarketers calling or texting our phones in order to sell us something we don’t need. Sales can be a cutthroat industry driven by commission, sometimes motivating representatives to deceive consumers into accepting a bad deal. They are often charming, making small talk, and building a relationship so that you can forget that they are just trying to get a sale. Once you have taken the bait, you realize you have a lousy product and there’s nothing you can do because the fine print states that the product is non-refundable.
Now you’re angry because you feel deceived. If only you had taken the time to read over the contract, you could have avoided the financial setback. Next time you will become wiser. You will know that everything that glitters isn’t gold. You will not allow formalities to blind your judgement.
I liken the adversary to a shady salesman dressed in a non-tailored suit, with a picture-perfect smile that seems unsettling. He appears appealing because, in order to make the sale, he must first make you feel comfortable. “14 And no wonder, since Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.” (2 Corinthians 11:14 AMP).
He presents a product to you, that seems to be exactly what you need and it’s going for a good price. How could you possibly say no? He stands there with a crooked smile, masking his hatred for you, waiting for you to foolishly sign the dotted line. Fortunately you don’t, because you know the adversary to be a liar.
Matthew 4:8-10 states, “8 Again, the devil took Him up on a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory [splendor, magnificence, and excellence] of them; 9 and he said to Him, ‘All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.’ 10 Then Jesus said to him, ‘Go away Satan! For it is written and forever remains written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’
As I mentioned before, the adversary is a liar, who specializes in shady deals. Look closely at verses 8-9. How can he promise Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them, when they don’t belong to him? Although Satan exercises temporary influence in this fallen world, he is not the true owner of the kingdoms of the earth. They belong to the Lord, and Satan's promises are always deceptive because they are built on rebellion against God. For scripture says, “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness of it, the world, and those who dwell in it.” (Psalm 24:1 AMP).
Brothers and sisters don’t be deceived. The enemy's offers may look attractive, but they always come with hidden costs. Like a wise buyer who reads the fine print before signing a contract, believers must measure every temptation against God's Word. When we know Scripture, we recognize the deception before we ever sign the dotted line.