Thats often how we see him right?  Haha, we picture him like this little mischevious devil that hops around with a cute little tail… This might look a little familiar:

How dangerous it is.  But it is true.  But the truth is, this “little fella” lived with God, the Creator of the universe– who is not even subject to time or space…  Then this “little fella” decided that he could be God, so he was a fallen angel of his own doing.  He became the lord of darkness, suffering, pain, anguish, deception, deceit, longing, and utter separation from God.  This “little fella” is the driving force behind any and all deception in our world, he tempts us, attacks us, insults us, gives us lustful thoughts, etc.

I took a few character development classes at the Art Institute and I will never forget the characteristics that make a character lovable and how they apply to this very persona.  You give them big eyes, short, head to body ratio is usually closer to 1:1 (cause we like big heads), and the list goes on and on.  This is the devil like we see above!  They have done a great job making this character lovable, but this very image of love is deliberately weakening our spiritual tolerance.  We begin to think, “oh, he can’t be much worse than that cute little fella…”

When you look at the media: if the devil is shown,  he is usually doing something fun, or in a more real sense he is some cute / sexy / or some Rico Suave that every woman adores — with a tail and some horns.

And on the other side, we see Jesus– he is usually on a cross or praying with some weak person and with some nice “glowy” figure and emphasized pain with holes in his hands and a crown of thorns…  He is dying on the cross–  But more often than not, he is in golden robes and arms wide open–

But when you look at them side by side, being completely honest, which one is more attractive– which one is easier– which one is instant?  I would definitely say the devil– he is having fun!  It is also something that we can relate with.  We see it every day with people around us: the drinking, parties, money, women / men, instant satisfaction etc.    And on the other side we see our option: golden laced white robes… Thats it.

Now, I am not completely disagreeing with that image of Jesus–  I think Jesus deserves his place in our hearts as a Redeemer of the world, because he is just that.  But our media effectively skews the image of Christianity and heavily effects the evangelistic efforts because we first need to overcome that stereotypical persona before we can share the love of Christ.

Even as a Christian, I still battle with the image of the Trinity Broadcast Network (aka TBN).  I drive by their mansion often (in Orange County), and their place is always lit up with millions of lights!!  I couldn’t help but think how many children they could be saving from trafficking if they just shut off their lights at night……………..

 

I have been reading Screwtape Letters and it has been really defining and eye-opening.  It mentions the above info without ever stating it.  One of the killer quotes I found today is,

“Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual is the gradual one- the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts. – Screwtape”

Which is so true.  The way we slip out of faith is through a long period of subtle changes in our life and decisions that we make.  It is never a drastic change that makes our life immediately negative.  It is the repetitive failures, repetitive subtle thoughts we have, etc.

“The more often he feels without acting, the less he will be able ever to act, and, in the long run, the less he will be able to feel.” – Screwtape

So in conclusion– I would like to wrap up with this important scripture that I had to memorize for the Africa trip.  I must tell you, I thought of it alllllll the time, day and night, while I was there and ever since then.  It is a very important thing to acknowledge, because the devil’s best weapon is nullifying his existence.

8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
The Holy Bible : New International Version, electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996). 1 Pe 5:8–9.