Of Lies and Misrepresentations

Just two hours ago, I finished reading C.S. Lewis's brilliant works, The Screwtape Letters and Screwtape Proposes a Toast.  For those of you who have not read Screwtape, I first recommend that you do so.  If you will not pick up a copy (or at the very least Google it) prior to reading the remainder of this blog, I will give you a brief description.  The book is a collection of letters from one of the denizens of Hell, named Screwtape, to an underling serving in our world, as a "tempter."  The letters are bits of advice on how to better tempt and trap a young man in England.  While a work of fiction, I think there are some brilliant insights into the lies and misrepresentations authored by Satan, most of which are, without a doubt in my mind, at work in your lives, as well as my own.  Some of them we don't even realize are there.  Ever been unable to focus on a sermon or small group discussion because of hunger?  The temperature in the room?  God gave us these discomforts as a survival tool.  Hungry?  Better eat, or you might starve to death.  Cold?  Put some blankets on, or you could get hypothermia.  The problem is, Satan misrepresents the importance of these basic needs.  You won't starve to death sitting in church.  You won't freeze to death at small group (unless you are a missionary to the Saami).  But at some point in your life, you will be distracted.  I guarantee it.

But there are a pair of lies that I feel are ridiculously prevalent in my own life, both of which are at least mentioned by Lewis.  The first is "You aren't good enough" and the other is "You're as good as anyone."  While total opposites at face value, they are very much variations on the same theme.  I have felt both in regard to the same issue on the same day, within ten minutes of each other.

Of the two lies, I would say the former is the one I struggle with less often, but with greater intensity.  There isn't much I really want to say about it; I think a great deal has been written about it already.  We are fearfully and wonderfully made, made in God's image, etc., etc., etc.  Yeah.  Well.  Seems like some of us are made to be more in God's image than others, right?  Sure.  "So-and-so is more attractive than I am, more witty, more charming, more athletic, more pious, more this, more that.  But if people would just give me a chance, could just get to know me, they would see me for who I really am!  They'd see my talents, and realize that I am just as good as they are."

And there is the transition point.  You suddenly go from selling yourself far, far too short to bordering on arrogance.  Next thing you know, you feel entitled.  You think, "Why not me?  I am every bit as good as they are.  I'm just as worthy of her affection, just as worthy of that leadership position, just as worthy of this, of that, blah, blah blah, blah blah."  Then, the slippery slope begins.  Before long, you start nit-picking the other person, laying out their flaws and saying to yourself, "at least I don't do such and such."  IF there even is another person.  Sometimes you are comparing yourself against something that doesn't even exist, a standard you've created against which to direct your ire.  

Now,  you see the subtlety with which Satan works?  He takes natural tendencies of the human race, and exaggerates or misrepresents them.  He uses ourselves against us.  We ought to have confidence in the person Christ has made us.  However, we ought to have humility.  There's a balance there.  Satan is all about throwing off that balance.

Just a thought.