I have spent the evening ploughing through CS "The Man" Lewis' book The Magician's Nephew. It is an excellent book, with a great wealth of Christian symbolism.
It is this book which has gotten me thinking, particularly in the chapter "An Unexpected Meeting," of one of Satan's greatest ploys. It is not so much that it is something I did not already know about what he does to lead people away. It is more I guess that this particular situation (and you will know it when you have read the book if you have not already) has given me a new appreciation.
The long and short of it is this: Satan likes to put on as if he is emotionally invested in our problems, as if he desires that we should solve them and overcome our hardships. It helps, when tempted to go along with his bosh suggestions, simply to remember the truth.
And the truth is: Satan doesn't give a rat's ass about your problems or mine. If he does, he hopes that our struggles to overcome hardship and escape suffering lead us into so wretched a state as his. We need simply say unto him, when he is purporting to empathize with us, "Look here; where do you come into all this? Why are you so very invested in my wellbeing all of a sudden? What's it got to do with you? What's your game?"
I should read more Lewis.
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