I was a young man, and as yet, free. The stranger came to me—not as a stranger, but as a familiar friend, speaking a common language. He lured me in, talking of greatness.
Every man seeks to make something of himself because every man feels an emptiness within; there is a secret fear that unless he does something, he will die in obscurity. So, the familiar voice whispered, "This is the path of greatness. Pursue this path, and you will be great. Women will honor you, and men will praise your name. Your name will be held in remembrance for years to come."
And so, I began to pursue the path toward greatness—the path of honor, the path of a king—fully intent on succeeding, fully intent on taking my crown.
Another call came later, as I traveled that road: "Son, do not venture thus, for it is the path of death. It looks appealing, but its end is destruction. It promises honor but hides hatred and the misery that follows. For you see, son, a true king does not seek for himself; he serves out of the abundance of his treasure. He does not rob the weak but protects the most vulnerable. A true king lifts up his community; he does not break them down."
Furthermore, the voice said, "Come with me, and I will show you the future of those who took that path."
As we walked through the vision of life, I saw many under heavy loads. I saw many who were broken. I saw many in a state of weakness I had never anticipated—weak, grief-stricken, and like Samson, grinding through a mill, blindly. I saw the conquered controlling the conqueror. I saw some scraping the bottom of the barrel to feed their souls.
Slavery—slavery is all I saw. Men who were once mighty, full of life, were reduced to shells of people. And the voice said to me, "This is the end result for those who were promised they would be kings. In seeking to ascend through the pulling down of others, it is their own souls that have been pulled down. They have lost all self-possession and have become the slaves of others. Sorrow fills their lives as they look back at the mistakes of the past."
"Do not go this way, my son; do not open the door that will rob you of self-possession. True greatness is not achieved by seeking honor in the ruin of others, or by seeking validation from others."
"True greatness is found in seeking the honor of God and living a life of humility."
Many warriors are promised the spoils of war, promised greatness and honor, only to fall on the first day of battle or be taken captive, becoming the spoils of war themselves. They never thought they would be captured, yet they find themselves in prison.
This is the end of the path promised by that familiar voice you heard in your youth. He promises you a grand voyage on a grand ship, but unbeknownst to you, it is a slave ship disguised as a cruise ship. He promises you the spoils of war and the glory of victory, but you are the spoil of war, and the glory will be his.
Flee from this path, son, and do not become a slave of his.
And so, by His strength, I escaped. I am no longer a slave—no longer a slave to that familiar voice, the voice of Satan, the enslaver of mankind.
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