Good Morning,

He is all around us, influencing our every move. We find him on TV, on our phones, and on, literally every media, trying to sell us products, services or change our way of life.

He is the politician, federal, state, local, or even volunteer organization, promising everything if we will only vote for him. “If you elect or reelect me, I will - - -“, making numerous promises, only to, once elected, blame someone or something for them not being fulfilled.

He is the advertiser telling us over and over “If you purchase this miracle product, it will cure - - ”, followed by disclaimers about the bad things it might do to you.

He is the lawyer we see on TV promising all kinds of money, telling us “You don’t need to pay unless we win.” “With us, you will get more money.”

He plays on our vanity, our health, our mental state, our concern for our communities, states, nation, or even the world.

He tells us mankind will perish if we don’t change the way we live, how we drive, or what products we buy.

He is an expert at knowing our hot buttons, those things that are important to us, at the moment, or can be important if he says the right words often enough.

Remember the old adage: “If it sounds too good to be true, it, probably, is”.  It rings true today, more than ever. Remember all of the things we were told when we were young that we are being told is untrue only to be told down the road they are once again true?

To keep this devil in check, we need to ask tough questions such as:

• What does this devil have to gain if I buy in to what I am being told?
• What do I have to gain, if anything?
• What am I being told that is true and what is hype?
• Is he an expert motivated by good and making a profit because of it?
• Is he motivated by profit with a product that may or not be good but can be hyped and believed to be good?

We need to do homework and not let emotion get in the way. Feelings and emotion seldom have any relationship to facts.

Yes, the silver tongued devil is all around us. We are the only people who can stop him by doing our homework and acting, not because of we are told, but because of we know.

This week do not let this silver tongued devil mislead you.

Jim