Ed. Note: Recently, a dear young brother wrote an email to some other believers on an Internet forum. His subject was “disillusionment,” especially in regards to the marketing hype and secular excitement that the Christianized world attaches to so-called religious observances at certain times of the year.
He mentioned that “the key to living in reality and avoiding disillusion [is found] by being born into the family of God through [faith in the Lord Jesus Christ] and then by living in the light of God’s Word. All this world has to offer is [mere] illusion. ”
The following reply, in reference to our brother’s timely comments, was also made on that forum.
The prodigal learned a brutal, simple and unforgettable lesson about disillusionment. As long as he had something to give, the world made a place and had time for him—at least, it spent enough time to take what he had to give. But the moment it had sucked the prodigal dry and he had nothing more to hand out, it relegated him from being the life of the party to life in the pigpen.
Now think for a moment just how defiling it would be for a Jew to have to work in a pigpen! (Pigs were unclean animals to them—not to be eaten or touched.) Yet that’s all the world had to offer this young Jewish man as “thanks” for all the energy and riches he had spent partying with them.
The world cared not about his personal religious beliefs. Such things were only important as long as observing them gave it the needed opportunity to spoil (acquire) all his resources and energy—financial, physical, mental and even spiritual.
The world got everything the prodigal had, giving nothing in return. It left him in a rotten, stinking pigpen, with only swine’s food to sustain his life.
That’s exactly what the world is seeking to do to each one of us, dear young people. It sees in each believer a source—a supply of something it covets. God has given to each Christian talents, abilities and resources (the “talent” of Jesus’ parable; Matt. 25:1515And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. (Matthew 25:15)) to use for Himself. But if we are unprofitable servants, we will instead bury them in the earth.
The world presents a grand illusion of bright, sparkly, exciting promises and fun if you will but give your talents and energies to its causes.
But, like the prodigal, once having believed the world’s lies—allowing our hearts to be stolen, just like Absalom “stole the hearts of the men of Israel” away from David (2 Sam. 15:66And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. (2 Samuel 15:6))—we will sadly find that it no longer has any interest in or time for us. And then we will learn the painful lesson of what disillusionment is all about, for all that will be left of the once-promising-looking world will be the view we have from the filth of a moral pigpen as we muck around trying to find food enough to satisfy our longing hearts—and no man will give to us!
Now none but Christ can satisfy.
No other name for me.
There’s love and life and lasting joy,
Lord Jesus found in Thee.
Friendship or Disillusionment
Let us not let slip the valuable moral lesson found in the actions of Pharaoh’s daughter either.
It was she who saved Moses’ life when her father wanted to kill him.
It was she who brought Moses into her court of splendor and honor when her father would have thrown him into the river.
It was she who was responsible for his education and easy, comfortable life when her father would have, at best, made him a slave.
Her father tried to kill Moses with violence; she would have killed him with kindness.
Neither intended that Moses become a deliverer of the people they ruled over as slaves in their land. However, when Moses was come to years (the time of responsibility), he had to decide whether to give his time and talents to Egypt or to Jehovah.
Moses made the right choice.
Was Moses disillusioned as he stood with the blessed Lord Jesus Christ on the mount of transfiguration? As others have pointed out, the real disillusionment would have been for Moses to have become a mummy in some museum—nothing more than a decaying, dusty symbol of Egypt’s lost glory.
May we be kept from allowing ourselves to become disillusioned by this present evil world and its broken cisterns, thinking to find in them the joy and refreshment that Christ alone can give.
May the Lord bless and keep each one of you dear young people and all of His own from being sadly disillusioned by this world’s fleeting illusions!
Ed.