Chapter 13: Deception
Greetings ladies,
There is a story that exists from the ancient Greeks that concerns a contest between two renowned painters. One very skilled artist created a still life painting so convincing that birds flew down from the sky to peck at the painted grapes. He was convinced that if the birds were duped, then he must be the superior painter. The first artist then asked his opponent to pull back a pair of very tattered curtains to reveal his painting. But to the dismay of the first, the curtains themselves were the image that the second painter delineated and they were painted with such precision that the first artist was truly fooled.
During the Renaissance, this illusionism was revived and perfected as seen in the great dome paintings of the cathedrals. Over time this style of painting, which refers to the art technique of painting extremely realistic imagery in order to create an optical illusion, was dubbed by the French of the Baroque period as “tromp l’oeil” meaning “fool the eye.” In our time, many variants of this technique can be seen in the “forwards” in our email boxes in the form of amazing building paintings that look like parks with people walking in them, or works by chalk artists that create holes in the concrete that people avoid walking on. My sister tells of it showing up in the Seattle Solstice parade in the form of people painting their naked bodies to look like police uniforms and riding their bikes around in the parade. Movies can now form this same type of illusion utilizing the device of the “green screen” with amazing accuracy.
Though the Greeks first told the story of the contest, tromp l’oeil has been around since the Garden of Eden. The serpent deftly crafted the deception that led Eve to doubt the truth. He then went on to paint the falsehood so convincingly that Eve “saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise.” The eyes of her imagination were fooled and Satan was the winner of this contest of illusion.
In the 13th chapter of Created to be His Helpmeet, Ms. Pearl spends much time talking of this deception and our vulnerability to such ruses. We as women “give ourselves over to emotional imaginations and create a world of hurt for ourselves and those around us.” (pg.129) I have done this very thing. Years ago, I began a painting of ungratefulness that lead to a masterpiece of tromp l’oeil. After years, the Lord gave me “a thorn in my flesh” that led to the opening of my eyes to the truth. The aftermath was one of pain and distrust that took years to mend. As I look back on that time, I see now that I was truly deceived. I believed a lie as though it was absolute truth. The deception began with a blank canvas and as I painted bit by bit with ungratefulness, delusions, subtle rebellion, it ended with a completed painting that looked like reality to me. I was completely convinced in the untruth. I asked for the curtains to be pulled away when the curtains themselves were the actual oeuvre.
We have an enemy at work and his first and last ploy is to deceive and destroy. It seems obvious that when we have rebellion in our heart that we give an opening for this enemy to slip in and begin to weave the web of deception, but it may be less evident that ungratefulness is a gate that opens us up for deception as well. I have seen in many instances in my own life and in the lives of other women I know that when the attitude of the heart is ungratefulness—even the smallest discontent can grow into a huge lie that alters our behavior and can change our lives. (Rom 1:21-Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.) Wanting a more affectionate man, wanting a man that will be a leader in the church, wanting a man that notices the little things, wanting a man that will spend more time with the kids, wanting a feeling of passion that doesn’t seem to exist for our man, wanting a little more help around the house, wanting a man that will take over with the children and give me a break, wanting to be noticed more, wanting something other! When we first think a thought like just one of these, it seems to be little… “I am not asking for much” but then we say it more often, then we begin to notice other things, then bit by bit, stroke by stroke the little thing becomes bigger and more real and soon we are dwelling on how difficult life is with this man. In its fullness we say, “I could do better on my own.” That is the oldest trick in our enemy’s book. Read again the account of Eve with the serpent.
So why am I basically repeating the words of Ms. Pearl here? I really feel that we cannot be reminded enough to be aware. I myself am asking the Lord if there is any area in my life where I am ungrateful, where I am allowing an opportunity for the deceiver to paint a tromp l’oeil work in my life. (2 Corinthians 10:5) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.
Love and blessings to you all,
Amy
