Proverbs 16

There seems to be a recurring theme in this chapter—that our human judgment is often skewed. Verse 2 says that “a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the LORD.” Later, we are warned that pride, while it may make us feel confident, “goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” (vs 18)

And then, right toward the end of the chapter, well, Solomon just came right out and said it: “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” (vs 25) That’s a sobering thought—that we could be merrily whistling our way down The Yellow Brick Road, thinking that we’ll end up in the Emerald City, when all the while, a different destination awaits us.

This immediately brought to mind a shocking experience I had some years ago.

Have you ever heard of the Maitreya? In the New Age religion, he is called the “World Teacher” and apparently has many disciples, known as the “Masters of Wisdom.” His followers expect him to emerge on the world scene sometime in the near future in order to put struggling humanity back on the right path.

Here is how one of Maitreya’s disciples describes his priorities: “To help humanity in its task of global transformation, Maitreya the World Teacher has formulated certain priorities. They cover the essential needs of every man, woman and child: an adequate supply of food; housing for all; health care and education as universal rights. Other top priorities include the restoration of the environment and the establishment of peace. The key to achieving these goals is a more equitable sharing of the world’s food and resources. According to Maitreya: ‘Without sharing there can be no justice; without justice there can be no peace; without peace, there can be no future.’” (http://share-international.org/maitreya/Ma_prior.htm)

As I began to research Maitreya, I realized that many of his “messages” sounded like things I could imagine Jesus saying. Justice and peace are matters important to Christians. Caring about the needs of others and sharing what we have with the poor are qualities that certainly fit in the Kingdom of God! I had to admit that whoever this Maitreya was and whoever was receiving his “messages,” they certainly sounded good and right.

And it was ’round about that time that I discovered another message from Maitreya, one apparently designed to help us become the kind of people who would enact his policies of justice in the world:

A Prayer for the New Age
I am the creator of the universe.
I am the father and mother of the universe.
Everything comes from me.
Everything shall return to me.
Mind, spirit and body are my temples,
for the self to realize in them
My supreme being and becoming.

“A Prayer for the New Age… is a great mantra or affirmation with an invocative effect. Using this prayer will enable one to recognize that man and God are one, that there is no separation… By affirming that ‘I am the Creator of the Universe,’ I can come into consciousness (eventually) that I am God, the true reality.” (http://www.shareintl.org/archives/M_teachings/Mt_prayer-newage.htm)

What?!

It is no exaggeration to say that I was totally floored. I couldn’t believe all that I had read—that the same person who desired to call all humanity into symbiotic, loving relationship also desired them to believe that they had created the universe, that everything had come from them and would return to them.

Right then and there, I knew that I would not be one of Maitreya’s devotees. There is nothing wrong with justice and peace, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with caring and sharing, but there is something wrong with I am the creator of the universe becoming my personal mantra. I may be confused about a lot of things, but I am not confused about that. Much of what Maitreya proposes may sound good and right, but if it is somehow based on the idea that human beings are gods, then it is a way that leads to death.

There is only one way of assurance in this world—God. He is the way, and He is the only way to life, justice, peace, and love. Anything else may sound good, but if it is not rooted in the God who is revealed in Scripture, it just might lead to a very bad place. Our only security is in fixing our eyes on God and putting our energies into knowing Him more and more.

The more we come to know Him, the more clearly we will discern the way.