Flimflam and Bamboozle
“A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain, but knowledge is easy for a man of understanding. Leave the presence of a fool, for there you do not meet words of knowledge.” Proverbs 14:6-7
Have you seen Flimflam and Bamboozle lately? They are around and very stealth. Believe me, they are never invited guests; they just sort of sneak in and all of a sudden you know they are hiding nearby. Those two are impish creatures that will pluck your last nerve and tie your gut in knots. Most of us recognize their proximity when things start going wrong.
They snicker when we make a mistake in our check book. They are tickled pink when we trip (over their oafish feet) in a store and knock over a food display. They grin and smirk even when we can’t remember someone’s name we are trying to introduce or forget a birthday.
These monsters get a kick out of dialing our telephone number and telling us there is a warrant out for our arrest for writing bad checks. All we have to do to avoid jail time is call that number and provide some information. Talk about plucking our last nerve; and they love to prey on seniors and scare them to death.
I have heard stories of how these two offensive beings have dressed up as handymen and claimed to be certified roofers, plumbers or landscapers. Oh my…the stories that come from angry people who have lost money twice!
Of course, then they try out the dating sites. They can puff themselves up to sound pretty good and download pictures that only dreams are made of these days. They give sob stories of kids or grandkids stuck in other countries and ask for your generosity to bring them home safely. Well, probably $4K would be enough. These two have been scheming for a very long time so they have lots of experience.
We know they are ungodly but how do we avoid them? When in doubt, using Scripture is a wonderful litmus test. If it doesn’t feel right, chances are it isn’t and if it is too good to be true, you’d better high tail it out of there. Proverbs is a great place to find the words to escort Flimflam and Bamboozle out the door…but be aware, they’ll show up again with new tricks. However, if we’re leaning on His Word, they stay less time during each visit.
Father God, I have met those two several times and I am grateful that Your Word is still alive today. Help us take the time to listen to You speak protection over us. AMEN.