“Know thine enemy.”
You may be familiar with the above phrase, which originated from the ancient Chinese general, Sun Tzu. But you may not be familiar with the full quote:
If you know yourself and know your enemies, you will win a hundred battles without danger. If you know yourself but do not know your enemies, you will win one and lose one. If you know not yourself nor your enemies, you will lose every battle.”
Now let’s put that light little subject on the back burner for a second.
You know your fun party friend? the one who lives on the edge and gets away with everything? who’s down with everything and in with everyone? who maybe gets you to live on the edge from time to time?
Things are usually more fun with this partner-in-crime. I know, ’cause I’ve got one too and I’m awed by (and sometimes envious of) how carefree and uninhibited her life is. I’ve relished her friendship and our wild memories together for years.
But lately, I’ve been seeing a new — or perhaps old but hidden — side to her. And I’m not sure I like it. In fact…I’m wondering whether she’s really a friend at all. I wonder if she’s really an enemy, or at least a frenemy.
‘Cause she be “where the party’s at” . . . until the party’s over. Then she be long gone, without so much as a “call ‘ya later.” Well, until the next party, that is.
Looking back, when I feebly “just go with it” – regardless of how high our “high” felt, I’ll undoubtedly find myself hung over (psychologically more than physiologically), all alone and feeling low and ashamed.
Actually, you know this “friend” of mine pretty well, too. She gets around. And it’s a small world. Everyone knows her. And she knows everyone. Her name is Satania. Although you might know her better by her other names — Satan, the devil, the Accuser.
She’s two-faced. A fair-weather friend. A false friend. She plays on our emotions, especially when we’re weak. When we’re feeling down, insecure, lonely, hurt, angry, confused, self-doubting or whatever, she’s right there to “comfort” us — to help us rationalize wrong or self-centered attitudes or behavior as acceptable, fair, “understandable.” She encourages, excuses us to do what we know to be wrong just because our proud, selfish, wayward hearts feel like it. She loves the “whatever“, “I don’t really give an F” and “everything’s relative” attitudes of this day and age. She gets happier and happier as our society becomes increasingly narcissistic, selfish and individualistic, skeptical of or apathetic about the existence of an absolute morality, and less and less empathetic towards others. After all, that’s her kinda peeps!
Satania’s all about giving you a helping hand, or a pep talk, when you want to justify a bad or get your hands dirty. But the minute you have to face the consequences of the choices she helped you make, she’s outta there. Even worse, being the duplicitous, self-preserving hypocrite that she is, Satania will be the first, and loudest, and last, to point a finger at you. “You liar! You cheater! You racist! You thief! You hater! You ingrate! You drunkard! You phony! You greedy! You lazy! You selfish! You shallow! You bad!” and on and on.
Uh…can we say “BLINDSIDED”?
But wait. It gets even worse. Not only does Satania get away with:
(1) tempting and encouraging us to quash our better (God-given) consciences in the first place;
(2) deserting us as soon as we’ve done the deed; and
(3) condemning us, burdening us with guilt or shame
— she’ll then try to rob us of the one true friend we have. The ultimate liar and dodger, she’ll spread false rumors that it’s not her but God who condemns, points the finger, makes us wallow in guilt, and even delights in it. She kicks us when we’re down and tries to convince us that no one’s on our side, least of all God, our Maker, our Heavenly Father.
But nothing could be further from the truth. The One “who was and is and is to come” is unchanging by nature and unchanging as friend and lover of our soul.
Once we’re in His tribe, open to all, Jesus is our friend and companion for life, through thick and thin, “for better or for worse.” Nothing we do, or have done, or will do, can change that.
Through a moving study called Beloved Disciple: The Life and Ministry of John written by Beth Moore, I recently learned that our past — however flawed, up ‘n down, crazy, messed up, painful, shameful or whatever else — is meant to be useful, and used, for the present and the future. For believers, Jesus can and will make our pasts work for us, not against us. From the moment we’re saved, there’s nothing left for Satania to point fingers at. Ever. The slate’s already been wiped clean and can never again be dirtied in the eyes of God.
So friends, know your enemy. The deceiver, the accuser, the shame-r.
Know your frenemy. The instigator, the deserter, the backstabber.
Know yourself. The beloved, the awaited, the accepted.
But be aware of when you’re feeling weak, susceptible, excitable, insecure, gullible.
And get your eyes and mind focused on your ever-ready Helper.
Know your Friend who does have your back. For eternity.
Your Savior, your Redeemer, your Prince of Peace.
