14 Days... Letter 2 from El Diablo

If you are not familiar with the style of writing used in C.S. Lewis' Screwtape Letters, read this post first!

Last year, a mission team intercepted the following communications regarding their trip to Mexico. It appears to be from Diablo to a younger devil, trying to attack and derail the mission team... We better take note that we don't fall into some of the same traps they tried on this team...

from: sr_diablo@hell.net
to: lucifrito@sector6.mex
date: April 13 subject: "Honest Communication"

Dearest Lucifrito,

Now that the group has arrived, it is time to act. More than ever, help the missioners feel pleased with themselves about devoting an entire week of their lives to helping the poor. Moreover, focus their thoughts entirely around feeling good about what they are doing, rather than on any effect their work may be having on the villagers.



We must continue to convince the humans that happiness originates from securing their rights and following their impulses.

Also keep the focus of each participant on him- or herself rather than the well-being of his companions and those they came to serve. This plays upon the spirit of the age in the missioner's country, where the feelings and rights of the individual so often trump the general welfare, or even what the Enemy says is good.

Sadly, when one of these little creatures forgets about himself and focuses on the needs of others, the Enemy often rewards them with what he calls joy. Instead, we must continue to convince the humans that happiness originates from securing their rights and following their impulses. In the end the happiness yielded by these pleasures continually disappoints as the humans are naturally ignorant of the fact that they were designed to love and be loved by others in their midst, and that this is where what the Enemy calls joy originates. In short, keep the focus of each individual on his or her self, and you scarcely can go wrong.

This can often best play out by suggesting they employ "honest communication." Let each member of the team frankly express disappointment whenever the trip fails to meet his or her expectations, whether it's about food, sleeping arrangements, team leadership, or the quality of the devotions. "Honest communication" is particularly important when team members are tired, hungry, and annoyed with one another, and is best expressed in front of the entire group if possible. In this context and with a little luck, "honest communication" will lead to arguments and divisions that can inflict permanent damage to these little idealists, and be extremely profitable for us.

In fact, it is useful to encourage each member of the team to be "true to himself" in every way. For example, the weather will be hot, and many of the teenage girls will lobby to wear shorts and tank tops while outside, despite what this attire suggests to the more conservative local culture. This appears to be true particularly among two strong-willed girls named Amber and Kelly. Their requests to the team leaders must be unrelenting so that if all goes well, the local teenage boys, unaccustomed to such dress, will scarcely be able to control themselves.


Eagerly awaiting your next report,

Diablo

This post is taken from an article from Christianity Today by Bruce Wydick.