"You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to
carry out your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not
holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his
native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." (John 8:44, NIV2)
In the 10th century Quetzalcoatl reigned over the Toltecs in an affluent town
named Tula in what is now known as the country of Mexico. His people considered
him to be a god, as he had offered them the cacao tree, from where chocolate is
made, as well as the know-how of how to cultivate it.
According to the legend, he was a proud man who desired the worship of his
people. But there was something he desired even more than their worship: He
wanted to be immortal. This was the motivation behind his visit to the sorcerer
Tetcatlipoca: He came to acquire a potion for immortality.
Now the sorcerer was jealous of the king, and he handed him a potion that made
him turn mad. Quetzalcoatl fled aboard a raft of intertwined snakes, never to be
seen again. Before leaving however, he prophesied that he would return to bring
great calamity in the "year of the reed".
In 1519, which was a "year of the reed", Cortez arrived on the Mexican coast.
The emperor, Montezuma, blinded by the Spanish conquistador's glittering armor,
mistook him for the reincarnation of Quetzalcoatl, and as a result, Cortez was
welcomed with open arms. His coming, however, was hardly desirable, for it
marked the beginning of the Spanish conquest of Mexico...
When someone tells us a total lie, it's generally quite easy to detect. Those
who mix a small amount of lies with a large amount of truth, however, are the
dangerous ones. Since part of what they are saying is true, we assume that the
rest must be true as well.
The one who specializes in such mixed-up truth-lies is the evil one himself.
Every one of his statements, as recorded in the Bible, contains a large element
of truth mixed with a few white lies. His temptations are done in the same
manner. It's in his nature. He discovered long time ago the power of mixing
truth with lies. Like Cortez, he disguises his true intentions: "The thief (evil
one) comes only to steal and kill and destroy." (John 10:10a, NIV2)
Every time you hear that inner accusation that you are really no good, remember
where it comes from: It's just a bunch of lies, with just enough truth thrown in
to make it believable, just enough to make you believe that you truly are the
scum of the earth.
By the same token, whenever you focus on the inner applause that you are
"better" than any other employee in your organization, you had better remember
the evil one's tactics as well! He mixes truth with lies in just the right
ratios to lead to utter heartache!
One thing is for certain: Discouragement, along with any inclination towards
pride, comes from the evil one himself. Both are nothing more than a pack of
lies built on the foundation of one small truth.
Would you like a cup of chocolate?
Rob Chaffart
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
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