Sleight means dexterity or deceptiveness (cunning, sly, clever).
The guiding principle of sleight of hand is to be natural. It also depends on the use of psychology, timing, misdirection, and natural choreography to accomplish the magical effect. Misdirection is perhaps the most important component.
Street magicians use this technique to get you to guess which shell the ball is under, or to pull coins out of your ear.
I knew a magician. He was constantly practicing on me. At first, I was amazed. I would always guess wrong. But, after watching him for so long, I began to figure out his tricks and it was not so easy for him to fool me.
The Bible says that we are not to be ignorant of the devils devices. Just like the magician, that ol' devil tries to misdirect our focus. He is very cunning and sly. He entices us with what we think he holds in his hands.
I have been guilty of distractions. I have been focused on the immediate and was not able to look past that distraction to see the big picture. You have heard the saying, "can't see the forest because of the trees"? That was me. I was blinded, I fell for the illusion. Is this where you are now?
Like a game show, we try to guess what is behind curtain number two. We gamble away all that we have for the perceived prize; only to learn that we have been tricked.
We buy that cheap ring only to find that it leaves a black mark on our fingers. Why? Because we focus on the immediate, we hesitate to pay the price for the future. The sad part is that we do this over and over again. Why do we keep doing the same thing and expect different results?
We have been created with a purpose and a calling. Unfortunately, some of us will not fulfill our call because we are distracted with what the sly magician has waved before us.
Some of us have bought the lie that a relationship with a man will complete us. We have fallen prey to one toxic relationship after another. At first we are enamored by the attention, distracted by the high, we ignore the red flags because we try to catch what was never released.
As little girls we are taught that our prince charming will come. We look for the charming, instead of the prince. We expect a man to come along and valiantly slay the dragons, jump through fires, climb towers, find our glass slipper and kiss us back to life. Dear girl, this is make believe.
There is only One who can give us the kiss of life. There is only One who can turn a frog into a prince. And that One is Jesus.
Do not be distracted by clever illusions. Do not settle for cheap imitations that will leave a black mark on your soul.
Set yourself apart for Jesus. Let Him do His work in you. Stay in Him so you will not be deceived. When the time is right He will bring your prince to you. He will do this when you are ready and when he is ready. When this man comes, you will hear His Spirit whisper...this, My beloved, is what I want for you.
Be Free & Stay Free
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