God Won't Trick You

It was Halloween night, 1985, and I was home alone. Only 16 at the time, I was tasked with passing out candy to the trick-or-treaters while my parents went out for the evening. Around 10 o’clock, I climbed into bed and turned out the lights. Immediately I began to hear tapping on my window, which was strange since I was on the second floor. Every few minutes, I heard what sounded like pebbles hitting my window, but when I looked through my curtains, there was no one there. It was unsettling.

Soon after, the doorbell rang. I thought my parents must have forgotten their keys, so I headed downstairs and opened the front door. I was startled by two 4-foot-tall boys in frightening masks standing there. My heart started to pound. I asked them, “Isn’t it a little late to be trick-or-treating?” As they silently shook their heads “no,” someone started beating on my back door. This completely freaked me out, and I let out a small scream. That’s when one of the boys took off his mask, and I instantly recognized my boyfriend’s younger brother. When my boyfriend appeared—laughing hysterically—from around the corner, I realized two things: I had been tricked, and I really needed to break up with my boyfriend!

It's fun to participate in harmless shenanigans and mischief from time to time. On the other hand, sometimes people play tricks on us that can cause real harm. Phishing, spoofing, ghosting, and catfishing—new terms are popping up left and right—it’s hard to keep up with all the ways people can hurt you these days! The enemy is always coming up with diabolical schemes to wreak havoc on us. In fact, you can trace all lies and partial truths back to him:

He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44 NLT).

Thankfully, there is One who will never prank you, deceive you, or have a big laugh at your expense. God won’t trick you because it is impossible for God to lie (Hebrews 6:18)!

Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true (Romans 3:4).

In Matthew 7:9-10, Jesus presents a scenario that sounds a little bit like “trick-or-treating”:

“You parents, if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not!”

Jesus is making the point that if we ask God for something good and necessary, He’s not going to trick us and give us something terrible! We serve a kind and loving God who wants to give good gifts to those who ask Him (Matthew 7:11).

I love to pray the promises of God. The Bible is packed with promises for healing, for provision, for protection, for peace, etc. And since God cannot lie, I know in God’s time, they will all come to pass. What are you praying and believing God for today? Be assured that a good answer is on the way. God won’t trick you.

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Scripture is quoted from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.