[1]If I Were
the Devil” is a form of social criticism, an essay that postulates what steps
the devil might take in order to corrupt human civilization (and the United
States in particular) and lead it down the path of darkness — before delivering
the catch that all the steps listed are phenomena that are already taking place
in the world today. It was written and popularized by national radio
commentator and syndicated columnist Paul Harvey, who from the mid-1960s
onwards featured it in both media many times over the course of his long
career, periodically updating it to incorporate current trends. The current version circulating on Facebook
is a 1996 update the following is the original version from 1964.
“If I were the devil … I would
gain control of the most powerful nation in the world;
I would delude their minds into
thinking that they had come from man’s effort, instead of God’s blessings;
I would promote an attitude of
loving things and using people, instead of the other way around;
I would dupe entire states into
relying on gambling for their state revenue;
I would convince people that
character is not an issue when it comes to leadership;
I would make it legal to take the
life of unborn babies;
I would make it socially
acceptable to take one’s own life, and invent machines to make it convenient;
I would cheapen human life as
much as possible so that the life of animals are valued more than human beings;
I would take God out of the
schools, where even the mention of His name was grounds for a lawsuit;
I would come up with drugs that
sedate the mind and target the young, and I would get sports heroes to
advertise them;
I would get control of the media,
so that every night I could pollute the mind of every family member for my
agenda;
I would attack the family, the
backbone of any nation.
I would make divorce acceptable
and easy, even fashionable. If the family crumbles, so does the nation;
I would compel people to express
their most depraved fantasies on canvas and movie screens, and I would call it
art;
I would convince the world that
people are born homosexuals, and that their lifestyles should be accepted and
marveled;
I would convince the people that
right and wrong are determined by a few who call themselves authorities and
refer to their agenda as politically correct;
I would persuade people that the
church is irrelevant and out of date, and the Bible is for the naive;
I would dull the minds of
Christians, and make them believe that prayer is not important, and that
faithfulness and obedience are optional;
I guess I would leave things
pretty much the way they are.
Paul Harvey’s writing of 54 years
earlier ring clear even today, as does the 1996 version. It is believed the prophet Habakkuk wrote the
first reading verses some twenty-seven hundred years ago seemingly asking God
the same questions we may be asking today.
“Why do you let me see ruin, why must I look at
misery? Destruction and violence are
before me; there is strife, and clamorous discord.” (Hb
1:3) and he
was going to stand there until God answered him! Even challenging God, if you want me to
believe in you, if you want me to have faith, why don’t you do something?
God’s answer was a command to, “Write down the vision clearly on tablets, so that one can read
it readily.” (Hb 2:2) Now I find this response somewhat strange. God want him to prepare a sign, with bold
letters. I have a theory about signs, no
one reads them. For years my staff when
challenged by volunteer’s behavior would recommend making a sign, but they would
still use the last of the sugar and not tell anyone. There are billboards all along the highway
that say “Jesus Saves” but we are often distracted by the hundreds of other
signs for Cracker Barrel and South of the Border. I believe when God asks for a sign He is talking
about US! We are the sign that reveals there
is still a God vision, despite the ways of the world. The ways of the world are death-dealing ways. We see how the prophetic voices of Paul
Harvey, Habakkak, Paul, and Jesus, play out every day in the papers, schools
and offices, on television, movies, twitter, and our streets.
But God’s ways are
different. God’s ways are life-giving. Remember God’s promises. Remember God is faithful. Remember that God does hear the cries of his
people and has stretched out His mighty arm to save, not once but many times. God’s ways show kindness to the stranger,
generosity to the immigrant, compassion and healing care for the ones left for
dead by the side of the road, He is a voice for the voiceless. Remember the stories of God and keep faith.
The apostles ask Jesus, “Increase our faith.” Jesus’ response is reassuring, for even a tiny
faith, no larger than a mustard seed, is powerful. As the living signs of God’s vision, we are
called to bear witness to God’s ways, in lives lived out loud and in big
letters, so everyone can see. We are the
signs anointed priest prophet and king at baptism, we living tabernacle of our
Lord when we receive the Eucharist, and we are the ones, “by the imposition of hands”, who received
the fullness of the Holy Spirit at confirmation; all called to bear witness in
the midst of death and destruction, insult and pain, for where else does it
have real meaning, to God’s ways of peace and justice, right relationship and
kindness, generosity and healing, and love that is not afraid and is stronger
than death.
We are called to speak out the
truth when justice does not prevail, to live
out God’s life-giving vision in our own communities, and to live it large, in the midst of the world and its
death-dealing ways. Because the world needs
to see God’s vision. For some of us,
that means developing the eyes to see God’s hand at work in the world around
us, to find a way to get out of our comfort zones so we can join God, actively
participating in His vision.[3]
[1] New American Bible, Saint Joseph Edition ©
1986. Scriptures: Am 8:4-7; 8-10; 1Tm 2:1-8; Lk 16:1-13.
[2] https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/if-i-were-the-devil/ by David Mikkelson,
Published 25 October 2004.
[3] Hungry, and You
Fed Me © 2012 Edited by Jim Knipper. “O LORD, how long shall I cry for help,
and you will not listen?” by Rev. Penny A. Nash.
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