6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. ~ 2 Timothy 3:6-7
14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. ~ 2 Corinthians 11:14
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. ~ Hosea 4:6
I recently learned that there is a certain type of Praying Mantis that lures its prey to them by mimicking an orchid. The Orchid Mantis, native to the tropical forests of Southeast Asia, doesn’t hunt down its prey; instead, they lie wait, near/on an Orchid or disguised as an Orchid themselves. When a pollinator comes expecting to pollinate a flower, they are immediately grabbed, pinned, and then devoured by the mantis before they even know what really hit them. What looked like good quality nectar (food) was actually their death in disguise. We, humans, are much like this.
There are so many people searching for Truth, but never coming to the Truth. They fall for false prophets, teachers who have an appearance of Christianity. A likeness of Christian, but don’t have fruit. The Truth isn’t in them. There are false prophets that cause their followers to go into a trance-like state where they go outside and eat grass like an animal. Then laugh at them and mock them from the pulpit with the rest of the congregation. Others dish out hundreds to thousands of dollars for the promise of a healing or blessing. They seek Truth, but never seem to find it.
I believe it’s because, much like the pollinators that fall prey to this mantis, they don’t study the source of the Truth. If the pollinators were to pay attention to true Orchids, they’d be able to distinguish between them and the Orchid Mantis. If those seeking Truth would study The Scripture, they’d be able to distinguish between Truth and Lies. They’d be able to distinguish between Life and Death. Just as the Orchid Mantis doesn’t have to hunt down its prey, neither do these false teachers and preachers. They attract them with empty promises and empty words. False signs and false wonders.
So, pay attention to what you follow. Pay attention to what you study. Seek The Truth of God. That means studying His Word in order to more accurately examine what others are saying. Compare their words and teachings with the Scriptures. If it contradicts, run. If it cannot be proven in Scripture, do not accept. Don’t allow yourself to become a pollinator consumed by a Praying Mantis disguised as a beautiful Orchid.
Peace. Love. Go Forth and Don’t Pollinate Every Orchid.