The 8,000 Pound Prairie Dog

I was totally sucked in, and the anticipation was building. As I moved across the country, I drove west through Kansas on Interstate 70, and every so often, billboards beckoned travelers to stop at the now-defunct Prairie Dog Town – See the 5-Legged Cow (Live!), and Live Rattlesnakes, and See the 2-Headed Calf! Obviously a tourist trap, I thought as I sped along somewhere in the middle of Kansas.

But by the time I approached the western edge of Kansas and saw the See the Largest Prairie Dog in The World! billboard, Prairie Dog Town had started to look more and more interesting. After driving the entire length of Kansas and seeing billboard after billboard, I was primed to get sucked in, no matter how kitschy it was. The Don’t Miss The 8,000 Pound Prairie Dog! billboard sealed the deal. I pulled off the highway, ready to be amazed.

After working my way past the cage of rattlesnakes, the stuffed jackalopes, the mutant bovine with 5 appendages (alive!) and the mounted 2-headed calf (not-alive!), I rounded the solid wall that shielded the object of my fascination from view and held my breath as I prepared to witness greatness.

And there it was … a 15-foot high concrete sculpture shaped and painted to resemble a prairie dog.

According to Websters Dictionary, a tourist trap is a place that “attracts and exploits tourists.” In the Bible, a false teacher is someone who attracts and exploits people. Their teaching is so appealing, like God wants you to be rich, follow your heart, making the right choices leads to a stress-free, worry-free life, and much more. Tempting, because we yearn for their statements to be true, we want to be amazed, and we are especially vulnerable when we are led to believe these teachings come from God.

But Jesus warned His disciples about false teachers, telling them,

“If anyone tries to flag you down, calling out, ‘Here’s the Messiah!’ or points, ‘There he is!’ don’t fall for it. Fake Messiahs and lying preachers are going to pop up everywhere. Their impressive credentials and bewitching performances will pull the wool over the eyes of even those who ought to know better. But I’ve given you fair warning.” (Matt 24:23-25, MSG)

False teachers can pop up anywhere, at any time, like the inhabitants of a real prairie dog town, and it is up to each of us to know and understand His Word so we can discern Biblical truth from anything else.

What false teachings have sucked you in?

Photo credit: TripAdvisor