You’re looking, now, aren’t you? What’s in this photograph to be discovered? What’s hidden among the leaves, not obvious at first glance, only to be spotted by an astute observer like yourself?
I could have you searching for snakes, frogs, soldiers. . . all these have been featured in social media posts at one time or another and garnered thousands or millions of hits for the authors. We relish the challenge, and a challenge it is!
My mind was drawn to pictures of camouflage by a (nearly traumatic) experience I had recently. I was mowing under an oak tree in my yard, a few minutes after clearing fallen limbs from the area. When my mower hit something solid I thought, “Ok, no! I have just sharpened these blades and have hit a root already!”
The evening sun was in my eyes and it could have easily happened just that way. An instant later, I realized something had been slung out through the discharge chute to my right.
As I focused in, I realized I was looking at a large snake, or the remnants of it (I spare you the sordid details). It was whitish with some brown spots, thick, and coiled up. It didn’t appear to be all that long, but still. . .
Mortified, I ramped up the speed on the mower and cut a path to the house for the means to ensure this reptile did not suffer any longer (OK, that wasn’t my goal; I simply didn’t want it to regenerate and plague anyone else, assuming it was poisonous!)
Once I rendered the viper fully deceased, and my heart settled back to safer rhythm, the facts came out. All I had seen at first was the white and brown patterned underbelly. To the side was a whole dismembered section lying in the normal, upright position which had been invisible to me at the first. It showed the distinct black, brown, and gray diamonds of a rattlesnake.
That deadly creature had been invisible to me before the lawn mower struck it, which left me to wonder where it had been when I walked in that spot not so many minutes earlier. I WAS NOT OK for a while!
I was extremely grateful, however, that God had preserved me and taken care of a threat that could have dealt me a life-altering or life-ending blow. I do not take that for granted, but it does remind me of how powerful He is and able to go before me, wherever I might be.
It set me also to thinking more deeply about the phenomenon of camouflage. Look if you will at the beautiful picture of leaves I’ve included. You may already be eyeing it with suspicion, as you may every real-life pile of leaves for awhile. (I know I will.)
I want to bring your attention to the function of camouflage. God ordained the patterns and coloring of the rattlesnake, a very poisonous and highly dangerous species. Still, the creature has its purpose in God’s kingdom, even with the threat it poses to humans when our habitats cross. We wouldn’t want to live in a world, though, without any predator whose favorite food is rats. Trust me on that one: the occasional snake versus hoards of rodents? You get the picture.
Still, the idea that something so deadly can be hidden in plain sight is nerve-wracking at best, and horrifying at worst.
We understand the enemy of our souls, the devil, is as a roaring lion. . . seeking whom he may devour, 1 Peter 5:8. Lions stalk quietly at first, blending in with their surroundings to evade notice, only roaring when they are at close range and ready to paralyze their prey.
It isn’t surprising then to think that the devil would encase evil and deadly traps in the skin of good and wholesome knowledge or activities. He camouflages these traps well, planning that some trusting child, lonely wife, or complacent husband can be hopelessly ensnared.
What I want to suggest to you is that the deceiver has also used camouflage in another manner, and I ask your help in demonstrating this. I know you are using your eyes to read these words, so closing them to visualize wouldn’t be very effective, but picture, if you will, the following scenes.
You stand in an art gallery surrounded by unique displays. After taking in several, you are drawn to a thick glass behind which you spot a perfect golden leaf set upon a gleaming white background. You have never seen a leaf of gold so exquisite, and you study its detail, confirming its authenticity. The leaf is stunning! You feel you could stare at its intricacies for hours, admiring the richness of the lustrous metal.
Nothing in the immediate environment hinders your appraisal of the treasure, until, just as you settle in to soak in the beauty for the next. . . however long you have. . . a dry maple leaf, similar in shape to the gold one, flutters down from above. That is irritating, but the precious leaf is still visible.
But soon there is another, and another, and. . .In a few moments, there is a steady flow of leaves that look just like the first, but of course are not the original. They begin to partially cover it. You strain to keep sight of that leaf whose properties seem almost healing somehow, but realize you are quickly losing the battle. Finally the deluge stops. You are pretty sure you know where the original lies and struggle to keep the tiniest glint in your sights.
Now picture yourself, still focused on the bit of leaf as a friend walks up. “What are you staring at, man? That’s just a pile of leaves—what’s to look at?”
You begin to describe this one leaf to your friend and try to point out that there is treasure under that pile.
“There is a leaf in there whose value can’t even begin to compare with all the others. It’s the only one in there that truly matters!”
Your friend looks at you with great suspicion and concern. You suspect he is thinking there must be a “place” for people like you who form special attachments to a single leaf in a pile.
“Dude, you could enjoy any of those leaves, or better yet, all of them. Why are you so stuck on that one leaf? Besides, I can’t even see what you are talking about!”
“Because it is the one, the only true gold leaf in the whole pile.”
“Righttt. . .,” he says as he walks away, glancing back and pulling out his phone. You’re concerned about who he may be calling.
Congratulations on visualizing one of the most effective tactics ever used by the enemy of our souls.
Distract and deceive
The message of Jesus and the apostles was straightforward and effective. Too effective to be allowed to run rampant through the world and convert all mankind to the truth, the devil must have thought. When torture and death didn’t squelch the momentum, he employed the tactic of diminishing its importance and downplaying the need to keep the message pure.
Jesus and every New Testament writer warned that this would be the case:
Beware of false prophets. . .Matthew 7:15
And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many, Matthew 24:11
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, 2 Peter 2:1
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world, 1 John 4:1
For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock, Acts 20:45 (This was spoken by the Apostle Paul.)
The original message given by Jesus to the apostles and first preached by them when the Spirit was poured out on the Day of Pentecost was:
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. Acts 2:38-39.
All through the Book of Acts this was the message preached, obeyed, and attested to with power, signs, and wonders wrought by the apostles through the power of God.
And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen, Mark 16:20
As the enemy grew more desperate to hold onto power, the leaves of “almost like” and “just as good as” began to fall, through the mouths of false prophets. Paul made a strong stand against this in his letter to the Galatians:
6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed, Galatians 1:6-9
Did you catch that? He said there is “not another,” but there would be those who would “pervert the gospel,” and “trouble you.”
Today, a Google search for forms of Christianity yields staggering results. Depending on which article you access, they report up to 45,000 “denominations” or types world-wide, which does not seem to even include Catholicism or Eastern Orthodoxy. That’s a giant leaf pile.
How many of these do you suppose hold strictly to that message preached on the Day of Pentecost? I’ll wait while you check.
Ok, we’re running out of time. You may have to keep searching after you get out of this post. To truly know you have found the original and a church that adheres to it will require some study on what that message is and what it is not.
If you want head start check out this Bible Study: A Fresh Look at the Teachings of Jesus and How They Were Obeyed to read and hear my take on it.
You can also watch this video from my Susan Jenkins (About) tab that details where I found the message and what it has done for me.
You are also welcome to reach out to me for getting a Bible study in person or online, or helping you find someone who does so where you live.
If you are feeling a bit uncomfortable at this point that someone should suggest there is ONE message that should be adhered to, remember how it felt in our visualization to be the only one who had seen the original leaf before the pile-on.
There would be no duplicates without an original. Be sure you have the tools to spot it.
(Cover image credit: iStock rusm)
Bible Study: A Fresh Look at the Teachings of Jesus and How They Were Obeyed
What’s Up with Those Pentecostals?
Related: When Did the Gospel Change?