Funny Money
in Thoughtful Thursdays on July 28, 2022
Our new house is in the country.
Well, sort of in the country.
I’m still close enough to town to get my hair and nails done, go to the grocery store, and not worry about running out of gas between my house and my destination…
But, other than that, yes, we’re in the country.
How do I know this? We don’t have a cable TV provider. There isn’t one that offers service this far out…first-world problems. I get it.
We do have internet, which means that we get ALLLLL the streaming services.
Slowly, but surely I have found my way through all of the boxes, and am once again, normalizing a daily routine. With that said, I have also noticed that I like having the tv on in the background while I meander through the house and complete various tasks. This makes binge-watching old shows especially appealing.
I’m currently making my way through CSI: Miami.
I absolutely love a good crime show.
Imagine my surprise when a topic from my most recent guilty pleasure found its way into last week’s Sunday sermon.
What do you know about the United States Secret Service?
Ten days ago, if someone had asked me that question, my answer would have been, “Duh…the Secret Service protects the President.”
I honestly had no idea that agency was created for something else entirely.
The Secret Service was established in 1865, as a division of the US Treasury Department.
That’s right. Their original objective was to track, trace and prevent counterfeit currency from spreading through the United States financial institutions. Their protection of the President, etc. became later additions to the job.
Still, today, they protect the integrity of all levels of the financial systems and even extend into cyber-security.
How might one train for a stint in the financial security realm? Assuredly there too many plots to count as to how a counterfeiter could produce his product…this agency knows that. So, these agents spend the majority of their time, not hyper-focused on the counterfeit items, means and manners, but rather they focus their attention on the real thing.
It would be an impossible task to guess all of the ways to mass produce a forgery, but there’s only ONE way to make the real thing. And, THAT is what they spend their time on.
Now, why would I tell you all of that?
As I mentioned, this topic came up in last Sunday’s sermon, as well as an episode on CSI. Twice, in a matter of days, I was informed about counterfeit or false schemes. As I was (slowly) putting all of the pieces in place, Pastor Gene connected all of the dots for me:
How can you tell a false Gospel, or false doctrine from the real thing?
The short answer is: Spend time with the Real Thing.
I am surrounded by very spiritual people. People that mean well, and have good intentions. And when I need advice, words of wisdom or comfort, I have a key circle of friends that I can count on to speak truth to me—even if it’s not exactly what I want to hear. I trust them because I know how much time they spend with the Real Thing.
I know they spend time in their Bibles, and in Bible study. I know that they know the difference between real truth and counterfeit truth. How can I be so certain of this? I, too, am spending time in my Bible…focused on the Real Thing.
Jesus tells us that He is the (only) way, the (only) truth and the (only) life (see John 14:6-7) If we know Him, we will know God. The best way to get to know Jesus, is through His Words in the Bible.
There are a million counterfeit opportunities for supposed happiness and peace, but there is only ONE opportunity for truth.
I hope this week, you’ll take some time with the Real Thing. Read it. Absorb it. Learn to recognize a false truth at a glance.
You are loved. You are cherished.
To Jesus, YOU are the real thing.