-Devotion by Bethany Ligon (AZ)
2 Thessalonians 2:1b-2a; 3a – “…we ask you, brothers, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us…Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way…”
Many years ago, while I was an eighth grade science teacher, I had several students approach me and ask me to buy a Christmas wreath or door swag as part of a club fundraiser. Instead of politely declining, I chose to have a little fun and make up a story of why I couldn’t. (If you can’t have fun teasing a 13 year old, why even be a middle school teacher?) The story I told for why I was not in a position to buy a wreath was because I claimed that I didn’t have a front door. As a science teacher, I said, I tinkered after school and had developed an invisible entryway that I couldn’t hang anything on. I was insistent that this was the truth and the students walked away wondering if I was completely insane or maybe a secret genius. Another student observed the entire interaction and looked at me with a side-eye and said, “You could have just told them ‘no’”. But where would the fun be in that???
Fast forward to 2026, where our social media algorithms are full of click bait headlines and the use of AI in just about everything trying to entice us with just enough truth to make the claim believable. Like my former students, we often think, “Is this real?”
I can relate to the believers in ancient Thessalonica who were starting to think that the news of Jesus’ return had already happened was true. The messages they heard sounded reasonable. What if they had missed something? They knew what they had been taught by Paul, but thoughts of ‘what if’ stirred in their hearts and caused them to doubt.
It’s been said that the only way to recognize a counterfeit $100 bill is to have studied a legitimate $100 bill. When you see the ‘real deal’ you learn to identify anything fake.
Paul was (and still is) urging New Testament believers to not get pulled into false teachings and stir up doubts of what God has promised He will do. The only way to stay confident in what is True is to know the Truth inside and out.
In Acts 17 we read about the Bereans who are described as being of more noble character than the Thessalonians (ouch), because “they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” (v. 11).
Let us take a hint from our Berean brothers and sisters and carefully examine the Scriptures. Let us do what the psalmist of Psalm 119 did and seek God and hide His word in our hearts; learn from His decrees; recount with our lips all the laws that come from His mouth; rejoice in following His statutes, meditate on His precepts, consider His ways, delight in His decrees and not neglect His word. (Ps 119:10-16)
Then we will be able to be confident in the Truth and not be easily swayed by some false messenger.
Reflection Questions
- What are some “unrighteous deceptions” (vs 10) you have seen or heard of in our world today?
- How often do you consider that there is a saving truth?
- How often and how do you verify that what you believe falls in line with the saving truth?
- What will happen to those who do not believe in the saving truth?
Prayer
Dear God – You are the giver of all Truth. I pray I am not deceived. Help me to know, love and spread the saving truth.
Seek Grow Love 