If I Were the Devil . . .

I'm sure you've noticed that I haven't posted for a while, and you might be wondering why. Last semester, I had a class early Friday morning, and then I was done for the rest of the day. After class, I'd stick around campus for an hour or so before I headed home for lunch, and I'd usually write up a post during that hour.

This semester, my schedule is different and I haven't really nailed down a good blogging time yet, so I haven't made any regular posts. Hopefully, I'll be able to find another time of the week that's conducive to blogging, and when I do, I ought to be able to get posts up on a more regular basis.

If you've read my blog in the past, then you probably know that I like listening to Andy Gullahorn and that if the mood strikes me, I'll write a post about one of his songs. If you haven't read my blog in the past, well . . . you're reading it now, so there's still hope.

I was listening to one of Andy Gullahorn's CDs the other day, and I came across a song called "If I Were." The lyrics were clever and catchy (as usual), but they were deep too. They really made me think. Hopefully, they'll be eye-opening for you as well.

I wasn't able to find a full clip of the song or a YouTube video or anything like that, but there's a minute-long clip you can listen to here. Anyway, without further ado . . .

If I Were
Andy Gullahorn

If I were the devil I wouldn’t wear red.
I wouldn’t have horns or a pitchfork.
I wouldn’t breathe fire cause it might give me away.

But if I were the devil you’d never know.
I’d befriend you quick and corrupt you slow
So you don’t notice until its far too late.

If I were the devil, if I were the devil.

If I were the devil I'd spend all day
Lowering standards of what's okay
To think to say to watch on your TV.

I'd break down the value of promises kept
And fade out truth till there's nothing left
Except gossip and lies popping up as thick as weeds.

If I were the devil, if I were the devil.

I might not be as foreign as you think
'Cause I wouldn't always show my evil side.
I've got the time and patience just to wait
And steal your soul just one sin at a time.
Like I would if I were . . .

No, I'm not the devil, but if I was,
I'd take God's people and split them up
To keep their minds off who they're called to be.

So they're no longer fighting over living or dead.
It's “Is it the body, or just bread?”
While all the unfed die hungry on the street.

If I were the devil, if I were the devil.

I might not be as foreign as you think
'Cause I wouldn't always show my evil side.
I've got the time and patience just to wait
And steal your soul just one sin at a time.
Like I would if I were . . .

I'd make moms and dads who never stick around,
Pain so bad you have to drink to drown,
And guilt so I can kick you when you're down.
And I would if I were . . .

If I were the devil I wouldn't wear red.
I wouldn't breathe fire cause it might give me away.

*     *     *     *     *

When most people think of the devil, they imagine a short, impish little dwarf with horns, a mischievous little grin, and a three-pronged trident. He has black hair, beady little eyes, and tail with a little spade-shaped tip. For some reason, he's always red, and he can usually breathe fire.

Why does everyone imagine the devil this way? Maybe it's because that's what he's like in all the cartoons. Or maybe it's because people are used to seeing trick-or-treaters dressed that way every Halloween. Whatever the reason, our stereotypical devil is nothing like the real thing.

At face value, our misconceptions about the devil seem harmless enough. In reality, though, they're not harmless at all. In fact, our misconceptions are downright dangerous. Because if we're on the lookout for a little red dwarf with an impish little grin, we'll miss the real devil every single time.

God's Word tells us that Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44). And since he's been around for a while, he's been able to perfect deception to an art form. At heart, the devil is nothing more than a liar. But he's a good liar. The best there is, as a matter of fact.

Anyone who's ever told a lie (and we all have) knows that in order for a lie to be believable, it has to be subtle. If you have a dog, "the dog ate my homework" is a lot easier to believe than "the aliens abducted my family last night, and my homework got sucked in by the tractor beam."

Since the devil's such a good liar, he's fully aware of the relationship between good lies and subtlety. By and large, Satan isn't going to roam the earth trying to convince folks that killing other folks is okay, because most people know that killing is wrong.

But he might go around trying to convince people that it's okay to watch trashy sitcoms and listen to vulgar music. Or maybe he'd try deceiving folks into believing that telling lies---as long as they're of the little, white variety---is just fine. He might even trick people into believing that there's nothing wrong with passing along a little morsel of gossip every now and again.

If the devil came on strong, he wouldn't get very far, because people would be able to see right through his lies. But the devil doesn't come on strong---not at first, anyway. He starts with little lies. He starts lowering your moral standards---just by a little bit at first. Then the lies get a little bigger. And bigger. And bigger.

Before you know it, that one, little, itty-bitty sin that "wouldn't be a big deal" turns into a nasty habit of sin that you can't seem to shake. Like the song says, "If I were the devil . . . I'd befriend you quick and corrupt you slow, so you don't notice until it's far too late."

The Bible is full of examples of the devil's lying prowess. When he tempted Adam and Eve into eating the forbidden fruit, he was subtle and sly (Genesis 3:1-7). And when he  tempted Jesus in the desert, he actually quoted the Scriptures (Matthew 4:1-11). Even godly men like King David (1 Chronicles 21) and the apostle Peter (Mark 8:33) fell victim to Satan's trickery.

In one of his letters to the churches in Asia, Peter warned against the power of the devil:

"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world."

1 Peter 5:8, 9 (ESV)

A lion is a formidable creature, and the devil is a formidable liar. But a lion isn't all-powerful. And neither is the devil.

The devil is a fallen angel (Isaiah 14:12). He's a created being and though he has a great deal of power, he can't be more powerful than the God that created him. Until Jesus returns, he's the ruler of the earth (1 John 5:19). But even in his power, God reigns supreme. If He wants to, God can override Satan's power at any time (Job 1:6-12).

As Christians, we can resist the devils tricks and schemes through the power of the Holy Spirit. Check it out:

"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."

James 4:7, 8 (NIV)

If we resist Satan with the power that God gives us, he'll pack up and leave, because he knows that while he can overcome us, he can't overcome Almighty God. Without the Spirit, we're vulnerable to Satan's attacks. With the Spirit, though, we have the strength to overcome the devil.

Be on the lookout for the devil, but remember that he's not going to be easy to spot. He won't be wearing red, and he won't have horns and a pitchfork. He'll show up where you expect him the least and he'll be clever in his deceptions. Stay alert, because Satan's slippery and sly. If you're not careful, you'll fall victim to his tricks without even realizing it.

The devil is strong, but God is stronger. Rely on God's power and resist Satan's temptations.