Man’s mind is so formed that it is far more
susceptible to falsehood than to truth.
DESIDERIUS ERASMUS
Geldenwynde Wilson was the registered name for Wyndy, a beautiful, well-trained four-year-old golden retriever. She belonged to Steven Wilson and his family. Wyndy loved her people and showed it in many wonderful canine ways. She slept when they slept. She always joined in when they sat together to watch TV. But her favorite thing was to play outside. She would fetch anything they threw for her, and return it with vigor. Of course, there were times when she would take the object to be fetched and run with it—as her people gave chase, yelling happily.
Quite often, Wyndy would also travel with the Wilsons. She seemed to enjoy it immensely. But on one particular occasion, the destination for their weekend trip was not suitable for dogs, so they left Wyndy home.
Wyndy’s family put out a large bowl of food for her, because they knew she only ate when she was hungry. They filled a five-gallon bucket with water for her to drink. They left their old truck in the backyard so Wyndy knew they would not be gone permanently. That truck had been “hers” since puppyhood. Wyndy dug a hole beside the wheel to lie in and put a rag in it for a snuggle.
As they were leaving, the family hugged Wyndy and said goodbye. They thought they’d just be apart for a couple of days. But when they returned, Wyndy was nowhere to be seen.
The Wilsons checked the neighborhood. Wyndy was a friendly dog and everyone knew her. But their search came up empty. No one had seen her. They called the pound, but she was not there. Then they put up signs everywhere and waited anxiously for a response, praying their beloved Wyndy would be found.
A few days later, they got a phone call. A friendly female voice spoke to them. She said she thought she had the Wilsons’ dog. Was it a beautiful golden retriever? Their answer was an eager, grateful Yes! The kind voice said the dog looked dirty, hungry, and tired—but well. Then the caller asked, “What is your dog’s name?”
Steven was filled with excitement to think that Wyndy was finally found. He said the dog’s name without thinking twice. He heard Wyndy’s toenails clicking on the floor as he imagined her getting up to run to the phone in response to her master’s voice.
The kind voice on the other end of the line called, “Here Wyndy, here girl!” Then the voice said, “Yep, this is her. Thanks!” The unknown person hung up and was never heard from again.
Wyndy’s people were stunned. What they thought was a kind, friendly voice was really a deceiving, evil one. But, what could they do? They prayed again for Wyndy, but this time they prayed that her new family would love her and take good care of her.
Though the circumstances were different, my son, John, and some friends of his also wound up with someone who pretended to be other than he was. They were on a school band trip in Florida and had a free day to explore. A taxi-type car stopped in front of them and the driver told them to get into the car for a day of wonderful experiences. Although the man seemed safe enough, the boys declined and kept on walking. The man stuck with them and persisted in trying to change their minds. He said he could show them things they had never seen before. The boys continued to refuse. Finally the man said in a rather gruff voice, “Boys, get in the car.” For whatever reason, they reluctantly gave in.
Their bogus “tour guide” showed them some sights, then took them to a bar where he told them they could drink without getting caught. The boys told him they weren’t interested. They asked the man to take them back to the place where he’d picked them up. Instead, he took them to a tunnel and told them it was the end of the ride unless they gave him money. They refused. The man left them there—miles from where they needed to be. It took them most of the afternoon to get back. Fortunately, they made it—tired but safe—when so much harm could have come to them.
Like the person who took Wyndy, this man was a deceiver. At first, his offer sounded like it could be fun. But it didn’t take long for John and his friends to realize that he was evil and they were in harm’s way. I don’t know if the boys prayed during the time they were in this man’s clutches, but the whole trip was being constantly lifted up in prayer. Many parents, students, and friends were asking God to keep everyone safe, and I’m sure that’s what kept them from a worse result.
Wyndy’s family won’t ever know the whole story of how she was taken. The woman caller said she’d found Wyndy out on the road. Maybe Wyndy was fooled by the woman’s seemingly kind voice and went with her. She had never known anything but love and kindness. And perhaps the woman needed a dog so badly that she was willing to break the hearts of an entire family to fill her need. Nevertheless, it was wrong. And the man who lured the boys into his car may have been in it only for the money. But that was wrong too—and it was a terrifying experience for a few scared teenagers.
There is another way that we are all in danger of being deceived and lured by an imposter. Jesus spoke of it when He walked this earth. He promised He would come again, but first, false messiahs would try to get people to follow them instead. In Luke 21:8, He warned: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them.”
Wyndy was taken many years ago, but the memory and hurt still linger, and she was gone forever. John and his friends escaped with just a scary afternoon. In the end, both Wyndy’s family and the boys learned how easy it is to be deceived. But we don’t need to get in the car with evil or be tricked into following false masters. If we stay alert to God’s Word and ask Him for wisdom, He will guide us safely home to Him.
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind (James 1:5-6).
Have you ever been deceived by someone? What happened? What did you learn? What principles from God’s Word might help protect you in the future?