4 minute read 
by Bethany Rees

Tricking Babies & Dogs

Have you ever tried to get a baby or a dog to eat something because it was good for them? 

When our kids were little, we did everything from “broccoli airplanes” to hiding spinach in their fruit smoothies to entice them to eat healthy vegetables they would normally detest. 

To get our dog to take his heartworm medicine, we’ve resorted to buying essentially “dog candy” to hide his pill just so we can trick him into choking it down. 

A lesson I’ve learned from both of these experiences is that when the undesired object is so blatantly in front of them, they will of course refuse it. But if we somehow trick their brain by pairing the deplorable thing with one of their desired things, then we can get them to do what we want. 

You can call us deceiving parents and dog owners if you like, but what we were slowly persuading them to do was good for them. 

That’s mostly not the case for us on this side of heaven.

Persuasion Techniques are Working on Us

We live in a broken world trying to feed us unhealthy, not Christlike, and downright evil pills that will poison our hearts, minds, and relationships…but it’s always wrapped in dopamine candy: a confirmed bias, laughter, exciting media, status boosts, promises of fame and fortune, etc. 

Sure, it’s easy to recognize persuasion techniques when used on others, but we are rarely able to recognize when it is used on us. 

In our arrogance, we don’t consider ourselves gullible enough to fall for the “broccoli airplane” or “dog candy” ...

AND YET…

We do fall for them. All the time. 

Satan Disguises Himself as an Angel of Light (Not Darkness)

This week I was reading in 2nd Corinthians when these verses stopped me in my track: 

 “And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.” ~2 Corinthians 11:14-15 [emphasis added]

The Corinthians were being deceived by false prophets (or as Paul sarcastically calls them “super-apostles”) that were better speakers and didn’t have the “testimony of hardship” that Paul had. In other words, the “super-apostles” were way more appealing, persuasive, and therefore authoritative in getting believers to fall away from the true gospel of Christ. 

Satan is a master counterfeiter and deceiver.

He knows that if he and his demon minions try to get us to be involved in obvious evil, we would surely decline. That’s why he is so good at wrapping just enough truth around the outside of his lies so that we are easily deceived. 

This blog’s theme song, DEVIL IN DISGUISE by Marino, has some great lyrics that really showcase his craftiness.

She said, "You think the devil has horns? Well, so did I

But I was wrong, his hair is combed, and he wears a suit and tie

He's nice, polite, he'll catch you by surprise

A smile so bright, you'd never bat an eye"

 Satan is cunning enough to get us to taste the sweetness of dopamine while really feeding us: shame, doubt, fear, addiction, self-righteousness, etc. 

 Pick "Your" Truth

Again, it’s easy to see when others are being deceived but not ourselves. 

So, what are we to do to open our eyes to the whole truth? 

Door #1) stay arrogant in thinking the "truth" that we’re smart enough to spot the deception or 

Door #2) know God’s word as TRUTH (“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”  ~John 17:17) and ask our sovereign creator in prayer: “God show me where I and my family are being deceived?”  

I’ll pick door number 2. 

Let’s stay awake and alert to how we can easily be deceived with a smile, a dose of truth, a brain-hacking algorithm, and maybe a piece of eye or ear candy. 

Know Better. Do Better. Live Better. Don’t Be Deceived.

Rocks before Sand!

Scripture: 

“And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.” ~2 Corinthians 11:14-15

Theme Song: 

Marino - Devil In Disguise (Official Lyric Video)

 References Used:

The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.