HAVE YOU LIVED LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW that sometimes smiling faces are not at all representative of happy people: loving people? Honest people?

I have.

I have lived long enough to see more than most. I am sixty-eight and have experienced many, many heartbreaking attacks: I’ve learned much, but I never will be too old to learn more! Alleluia!

Selah.

God has been loving me even when I didn’t love Him nor honor Him. I have now seen for years His long-suffering for my soul: and He has won! I submitted in my early twenties to Him: all glory to Him! I have thanked Him endlessly since then! I certainly hope you do too!!

When I finally surrendered to Christ I grew slowly in wisdom (my fault alone.)  Herewith is just one of the great lessons He has revealed to me: sometimes smiling faces are not at all representative of happy people: loving people. Honest people. Some of those smiles are deceptive with the motive behind them as simply nothing short of sinister.

This Joy Story is one of those terrific experience I had. This one entails victory from subterfuge from two strangers in a car…

 

Once upon a time I was driving to a ministry appointment in a well-known dangerous Minnesota city… Not afraid to be there, being on God’s assignment, I stopped my car, signaling to turn left. This is so interesting! I hope you find it so as well.

The street was fairly busy; it was late morning in the summer. As I patiently waited to turn, the woman driving on the opposite side, going straight, came to an absolute, ridiculous, and complete stop! Why? Smilingly, she waved me on! Was she serious?!

She was…

I observed her carefully and noted another woman beside her. I knew it was illegal for me to turn left directly in front of a car where the driver was going straight… I didn’t smile back. In fact, I was pretty shocked that she motioned for me to, “Go.”

Of course, I didn’t. I purposed in my heart that there was no way in Heaven I would make a left-hand turn in front of someone going straight. No. No way. I then also purposed that I would wait as long as it took for her to be gone. Not surprisingly to me now, this fraud actually took several minutes of ‘encouraging’ me to make an illegal turn!

Selah (pause and meditate.)

Beloved, one of the things I love to do is mull over why this ‘smiling, seemingly happy, seemingly kind’ woman and her friend would wave me on, giving me ‘permission’ to drive in front of her, giving me the ‘right of way’; inviting me to beat her out and break the law…

Selah.

I received the answer in not much time at all. I do have the mind of Christ. This woman and her female passenger were trying to set me up! Their constant and overemphasized smiles and inducements were a complete sham!

Finally, they realized that they hadn’t found a sucker who would help them execute their plan. And what was that? Their plan was to deliberately run into me, whereas I would clearly be in the blame, resulting in damage to her  car. Can you just imagine it?

 

“Oh no officer! What reason could I possibly have to stop as I am headed straight to let an absolute stranger turn left in front of me?! Why would I do such a dangerous, foolish, and illegal thing?!”

 

Clearly: I would have been in the wrong. Making a left turn in front of someone driving straight is definitely a no-brainer; and one hundred percent fault of the driver stupid enough to operate a potentially deadly weapon, a car, in this way…

They both finally gave up.
I won! I never waved back, I never smiled. I was too intent on safety and observing them. I knew they were way out of line and not only idiots, but also schemers.

Now some of you may think that there is no way that I could be certain of their motives. I am. And friends, I want to say that just because this was a well-known hostile neighborhood, this does not mean all the people living and working in it are. If you have also lived long enough, you know that some smiling faces truly try to conceal evil hearts. You also know that not all people who are poor are evil; and contrarily, not all who are wealthy are honest. Please remember: it’s not the pocketbook that gives a person integrity: it is her heart!

All in all this is a great ending! Merrily I went on my way, being extremely thankful to God for ministering to me on the way to my ministry appointment! They didn’t get what they wanted, and all three of us were better for it!

Amen and amen!

 

SCRIPTURAL TRUTHS FOR THIS JOY STORY:

 

 

Exodus 23:1
Do not spread false reports. Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness.

 

Proverbs 6:12-15
A troublemaker and a villain, who goes about with a corrupt mouth, who winks maliciously with his eye, signals with his feet and motions with his fingers, who plots evil with deceit in his heart—he always stirs up conflict. Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant; he will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.

 

Proverbs 10:9
Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.

 

Hebrews 13:18
Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way

 

Proverbs 2:7
He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,

 

Hosea 14:9
Who is wise? Let them realize these things. Who is discerning? Let them understand. The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.

 

Habakkuk 2:4
“See, the enemy is puffed up; his desires are not upright—but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness—