"Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers" (James 1:16).

It is easy sometimes to blow by a verse of Scripture. It's almost as if the simplicity of truth is so obvious that there is no need to really comment or spend any time reflecting. Verse 16 falls into that category.

I almost lumped verses 16-18 together for a devotion but chose to rest on the truth James intended when he stated these 7 powerful words. Why? Because when I look into my own heart, at the body of Christ, and the culture at large, I see rampant deception and it is catastrophic.

Deception is a popular topic throughout Scripture. Many verses give direct commands not to deceive yourself or let others deceive you. Simply do a Bible search on the various forms of the word and you will find real-life examples and see how serious God is on the topic.

Yet I wonder, "How often we think about it?" Do we think more highly of ourselves than we ought? Are we easily swayed by secular thoughts that contradict Scripture? Do we realize and recognize the spiritual warfare surrounding us on a daily basis? Are we a stumbling block to others by our actions, attitudes and behaviors without realizing it?

The point is to slam on the brakes and do a self-examination, because if we blow by verse 16, we lose sight of profound wisdom that is greater than we can fathom. The call is one of love from James to his beloved brothers in Christ and the church at large that none of us would be deceived nor deceive others from the treasure of God's Word that brings light and life to a dark world in desperate need of absolute truth.

But that truth will never be fully realized if we do not take it as seriously as the text suggests and recognize our self-deception first. Therefore I pray that the Spirit of truth would illuminate our hearts and cast away shadows that like cancer are eating away at our personal convictions regarding sin and truth, both in our own lives and the lives of those around us.