Don't Be Conned!

“Don’t Be Conned!”

 

For almost four centuries Peter Minuit, the Dutch Director-General of New Netherlands (now New York) has been vilified as a slick swindler for purchasing Manhattan Island from the Canarsie Indians in 1624 for about $24. But who had the last laugh? After the deal was closed the Canarsies took their money and went home—across what’s now called the East River to today’s Brooklyn! (In fact, an area in southeastern Brooklyn is still called Canarsie.) So they sold what they didn’t own! Talk about the con being conned!

When I read this account in Paul Harvey’s book DESTINY (a collection of his “The Rest of the Story” anecdotes) a few years ago I thought of Satan’s temptation of Jesus. The third attempt he made to discredit our Savior was the possession test. From a mountain which offered a panoramic view of the world he told our Lord, “All this I will give you…if you will bow down and worship me.” (Matthew 4:9). But Jesus resisted by citing God’s Word and the devil was defeated (“Then the devil left him….”—Matthew 4:11).

As  the Canarsies did, Satan tried to promise what wasn’t his to give. While he’s called “…The god of this world….” (2 Corinthians 4:4) the “world” refers to the system he dominates, not Planet Earth—that belongs to God alone (“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it….”—Psalm 24:1). In His omniscience Jesus saw through the enemy’s scheme and couldn’t be conned. And because He resisted He was fit to pay the price for your sin and mine (“…Christ died…the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God….”—1 Peter 3:18).

Don’t be conned—Satan can’t give anyone what he says he will (happiness, satisfaction, purpose, contentment) and he has no intention of doing so because he is the “father of lies” (John 8:44) and has the goal of destroying God’s people (1 Peter 5:8). But we can count on Jesus to deliver on His promise of full and meaningful life (“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full”—John 10:10). Which is the best deal? Reject the devil and rely on Jesus—He’ll never con or reject those who call on Him in faith.

Blessings!

Jim McMillan