Too often we take issue with the obvious without recognizing the impact of those influences that are more subtle. (note that the earth is the small dot in the lower, right-hand corner of the picture) Some things affect us without our realizing it. And it’s not just things that are hidden from view that can harm us without our knowing it, sometimes what is familiar and found everywhere can be extremely dangerous without our realizing it. I’ve come to believe that given the right circumstances we, meaning people anywhere, can get used to almost anything. And if a group has embraced something that’s harmful without their realizing it, then it has established a “community of deception,” a community that mutually supports something that is inappropriate, or harmful, or evil, depending on what we’re talking about. In such a situation it’s very difficult for longstanding members of the community to discover this deception, but an outsider coming into the community for the first time might see it right away. That’s because they haven’t been subjected to the subtle influences at work within the community over time. They haven’t experienced the stages of development that have brought the community to its present state. Their perception hasn’t been informed by the interaction with others in the group. So, what has become familiar and, therefore, non-distinct for the community is glaringly obvious to the outsider.

To show you what I mean, think of a time when you found yourself visiting another household for the first time; especially if it wasn’t a formal occasion where everyone was on their best behavior. As an outsider, you probably noticed things that weren’t familiar to you, things that weren’t expected. Now usually these things aren’t wrong or even inappropriate, they’re just unique to that particular family: a prevailing odor, a squeaky door etc. I remember visiting some folks recently where this happened. The people in this household had a side-business selling honey, and I was there to buy some of their product. I was standing in the kitchen waiting while the lady of the house went to retrieve a couple of jars and noticed there was a bee on the kitchen table. When she returned, I pointed out the bee, and, without flinching, she said that having bees in the house was a usual occurrence. As I looked around I realized that there were other bees quietly buzzing around the room. She was used to it and didn’t really take much notice, but it got my attention right away.

You may not think that it’s a good thing to have bees in your house, but the fact that these folks didn’t care doesn’t mean they were wrong, so this wasn’t really a deception they were embracing. But imagine if they’d come to believe that being stung by the bees was a good thing. Such a notion might come about because of their familiarity with the insects. As they worked with the bees over time they would occasionally be stung by them. And as they came to accept this consequence they could become so used to it that getting stung could become something humorous to them, even something enjoyable because it could be an occasion for joking with one another. Eventually, they could become so used to being stung periodically, that they began to think that it was not only enjoyable but beneficial as well. Then it could be that they developed the habit of agitating the bees on purpose, just so they would get stung. As time went on, everyone in the house might be prompted to engage in this activity. Eventually they could hold contests to see who could get stung the most in a given amount of time. The impact of being stung multiple times, the swelling and altered vision etc., could become so familiar that it was no longer viewed as unpleasant, instead it was embraced as an experience to be relished, something they could brag about to each other. If left to themselves, their deception could be sustained as long as everyone involved supported what was taking place. But if an outsider came to the house and was invited to join in this activity there would be an obvious clash of views on the subject. I know this sounds far-fetched, but it illustrates the process that can lead to an entire community being deceived.

Unfortunately communities of deception can extend much farther than a single family. They can encompass an entire village or town, and even be large enough to engage entire cultures, entire nations—witness the anti-Semitism of Europe prior to World War II. And there can be more than one deception operating at any given time. Really, if you think about it, the entire world is a community of deception in some respects. And the question is: what communities of deception are at work in America today? And how do we, as evangelical Christians, discern those deceptions? Furthermore, are there deceptions being perpetuated within our churches, or, maybe within ourselves?

If the prospect of a treacherous culture isn’t enough to alarm us, stories in the news keep demonstrating that all is not well. Mayhem is too often the order of the day. Violence percolates through the country, and through the world. Everybody’s angry about something. Debate has given way to assault, a sense of community struggles against a prevailing selfishness, and a certain future doesn’t seem to be so certain anymore. Of course, a certain future is sought in various ways; that’s an issue for us as Americans, and as Christians. However, in many places around the world certainty, about anything, is fleeting at best. Many people take it when they can get it, but they don’t really expect it to last. They haven’t enjoyed the benefits of our long standing stability. Americans wrestle with unemployment or rising gas prices and look to the next office-holder to make things better. But for many people outside the United States, an election represents a new opportunity for chaos, life-threatening chaos, rather than the prospect of change for the better.

Where does our certainty come from? What do we, as Christians, think we can rely on? Does our confidence hold up? Will it hold up under pressure? I’ve already pointed out that, as evangelicals, our ultimate hope is in Christ Jesus. He’s promised us it will all turn out right in the end. But what do we do in the meantime? How do we deal with this world, now?

If we’re reading our Bible, we’re probably aware that our beliefs and our actions don’t always correlate. I know I should love my neighbor as myself, but if Jesus were standing in front of me I might be asking Him if my “neighbor” includes the person behind the wheel who’s been tailgating me for the past three miles! I know that the Bible says that this life is fleeting, that the world is passing away, but I spend a lot of time thinking about it anyway; we all do. The mortgage, the kids, the spouse, the car, the job; so much to think about!

What’s more, as if we didn’t have enough to think about, we’re surrounded by people who seem to be having a much better time of it than we are. They’re either focused on reaching for what they want, trying to gain any advantage to achieve their goals at the expense of others, or they’re in a constant state of distraction, plugged into their phone or IPod, fixated on the computer or the TV. Some people do actually focus on others, of course. They’re the ones looking to make the world a better place. The quest for freedom and justice and security for all provides them with that universal goal to find purpose and meaning in life.

How should we live our lives? That’s a question that everyone tries to answer. And, except in extreme circumstances, this involves figuring out how to live our lives with other people. People always play a role, even if only as obstacles to overcome. The go-getters are trying to out-compete everyone, to succeed where others have failed, to get farther, faster than anyone else. The distracted are mesmerized by constant activity: texting, sports, video games; they don’t want to be disturbed by the uncertainties of life so they immerse themselves in continuous distraction. But the uncertainties continue to nag at us because that’s the nature of the human condition, no one is completely comfortable in their own skin, everyone is seeking something, even if they can’t define what that is.

And the greatest uncertainty that all of us face, the thing that nags at us is that constant companion that speaks to every human heart: fear. Fear of something. Fear of someone. Fear of self. Fear of failing. Fear of the known. Fear of the unknown. It’s easier not to think about it than to be overwhelmed by it. In an effort to outrun or outmaneuver fear we stay busy, either striving as a go-getter, or simply filling up our consciousness with anything that can distract us from facing those relentless questions that are always nipping at us. The problem is: we can’t stay distracted forever. Sooner or later we all have to deal with life … and death.

As Christians we’ve wrestled with these things as part of a process that has brought us to the faith. But even though we’ve found some answers, many of the questions still need attention as we try and find our way in a fallen world. We can think we’ve got the answers, and maybe we do have some of them, but if our foundations are shaky in any way, sooner or later the weaknesses are exposed. And one of the primary ways for exposing our weak points is through interaction with others.

People can be cantankerous, both inside and outside the Church. They tend to expose us for what we really are without even trying. I don’t know how many times I’ve run across someone I didn’t like only to find out, eventually, that the reason I didn’t like them, the behavior that rubbed me the wrong way, was something that I was doing myself. Only I couldn’t see it, or wouldn’t admit to it.

And even if I’m aware of bad behavior, behavior that I do my best to hide, it doesn’t necessarily mean that I’m able to stop it. This is especially true if we include the thoughts we think, and the words we utter. Yet this is what interests the Lord, according to the Bible. Jesus indicated in what is termed, “the Sermon on the Mount,” that what you think and say is as important as what you do. (Matthew 5-7) Our God is interested in all of it. The apostle Paul stated that he was attempting to take “every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5)

How does that happen? That’s a question I’ve been asking myself for some time. When I’m out in traffic all day with people cutting me off or racing by me without even noticing, usually because they’re too busy talking on the phone or texting, somewhere in the midst of it I often “lose my religion.” And it can be even worse when I’m confronted with someone who’s saying or doing something that I’m convinced is wrong, and yet they’re just as convinced that they’re right. Usually this takes place across the divide that separates the believer from the unbeliever, but not always. If you’ve been in church for any length of time then you know that not all Christians agree at all times about all things. And sometimes it can get pretty ugly.

We can try to limit the expression of our true selves. And sometimes that’s necessary just to keep things from getting out of hand. But what I’m talking about here is the effort to align our whole selves with God’s call to holiness. Is that even possible? I think it is. Perhaps not perfectly, but I think significant ground can be gained in our effort to be like Christ. The question is, where’s the power to do that come from and how do we apply it to our lives?

Seek the Lord while He may be found: Call upon Him while He is near. Isaiah 55:6