How do you know if people really need your help or want to manipulate you?

Question:

How do you know if people really need your help or want to manipulate you?

ajutor sau manipulare

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I read this question, I remembered…

The example of the life of the Lord Jesus

“The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?” They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”  Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court.” (John 8:3-9 NASB)

The scribes and Pharisees pretended to need the help of the Lord Jesus, but in reality it was not so. The Bible states that Jesus “did not need anyone to confess to him about any man, for he himself knew what was in man.” He knew at once that these Pharisees did not need His teaching or service, but wanted to tempt Him. You will say, “Well, I’m not Jesus!” and you’re right. But in this example we notice a few things that help us understand if people really need our help or if it’s just manipulation.

First of all, they had already answered their question. In other words, they needed no answer. For them, Moses’ words were authoritative, and they quoted them and showed that they knew what the Bible said. Then why do they ask Jesus? To tempt Him. The same can happen to us. Some people ask questions, they show that they need your answer, but in fact, they want to catch you with an answer that does not correspond to what they already know, so that later they can judge you. So in such situations do not rush with an answer, because the person does not necessarily need it.

Second: these people want to use you to fulfill an evil desire of their heart. According to what Moses said, this woman was to be stoned to death, but did they not know it? Sure. They ask the Lord in order to use Him and through His hand and teaching to strengthen their evil desire and plan.

Third, these people are not interested in the truth, even if they shout in the name of “justice.” Was this woman ungodly alone? Then where was the man, because they said they caught her while she was committing adultery? So they were interested in nothing more than finding Jesus guilty of something so that they could kill Him later. Such people do not need help, but their whole tactic is to use you, so that later, even if they are wrong, the stones will come to your head and not theirs. Very underhanded…

The Christian has no right to manipulate

The Bible says very clearly:

“and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you.” (1 Thessalonians 4:6 NASB)

God is the witness of any manipulation and He will punish the one who walks with such things.

However, how do we differentiate between manipulation and the need to help?

The author of the book of Hebrews gives us the answer when he says to the believers:

“For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.” (Hebrews 5:13-14 NASB)

A baby is not able to make a difference. The mature man who has become accustomed to using his ability to judge, he can distinguish good from evil. The problem is that there are a lot of physically mature people, but they don’t train enough to judge and differentiate between good and evil. That is why, most of the time, they are manipulated by bad people. The word of God is the best tool that can help you train your ability to judge correctly, to distinguish between good and evil. How can you know what is good and what is bad if you do not open Scripture, if you do not study it? My dear, on this occasion I want to invite you to join a Bible study group, where you will have the opportunity to study the Scriptures deeply. I also invite you to the sessions of the Institute of Inductive Studies, where for 12 days you will be able to study deeply the Word of God.

The Bible says that even Satan transforms himself into an angel of light so that he can later deceive us. It is very difficult not to be deceived, but the Word of God is the truth, the truth that the Lord Jesus used strongly against any manipulation by the evil one. When He tempted and asked Him, “If you are the Son of God,” did Satan not know that the Lord Jesus was the Son of God? Did He not know that the Lord has power to do more than He asks? Of course, but this is his method of manipulating and lying, because he is a liar and the father of lies. There is only one way we can train ourselves not to be manipulated, by deep study of the truth, and then become accustomed to using the ability to judge in the light of Scripture. God has given to each of us this ability to show discernment

.God help us not to be manipulated and deceived by anyone!

Translated by Olya Tricolich