en·tan·gle·ment
a complicated or compromising relationship or situation.
To be entangled is not a good thing. Regardless of how the media makes it seem, there is nothing humorous about a deadly trap. I was entangled with people who wore different attire yet offered pestilence covered in honey. Due to my consumption, my recovery was prolonged. I became very ill, my body became frail and my mind distorted.
Friendships that I thought were pure, behaved in the same manner...to deceive and destroy.
I did not take heed to the experiences I had before, neglecting the red flags and familiar symptoms. Just because it looks appetizing doesn't mean it's beneficial for you. It all looked very appetizing to me.
It started with the insults covered in "Just kiddings!" (Proverbs 26:18–19) followed by desensitized gaslighting. I began to see myself replaying scenarios, completely seduced into conversations that crossed my boundaries. Leaving behind a painful trail of slander and regret. Very much like Eve in the Garden of Eden...
Genesis 3
"Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made..."
The serpent belonged in the garden. There was nothing suspicious about him. The way he convinced Eve to eat the fruit was by repeating what God had said and reversing it in a way that confused Eve. She was "entangled".
These kinds of people Psychologists call them "Covert Narcissist"
Narcissists appear shy, and kind, yet they are the charismatics of the crowd. Enamoring the room with their magnetism. With the appearance of being harmless yet wooing you with attractive poisonous words. And yet, behind closed doors, the mask is off. They gaslight you and make you question your sanity.
“Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”
In other words:
Did God really say that I should NOT befriend, date or marry this person? Yes.
Photographer: Unknown
After reading and reflecting on it, I took it to mean that while it's good to be aware of those we hang around with, I must also self-evaluate to make sure I'm not the problem. And that's what I enjoy about your piece, it always invokes one to look inwards and conjures up experiences. Also, really like the bit about Satan and Eve when it came to explaining entangled. 👍🏾👌🏾
Good read. It's crazy how people can come into your life with their own intentions, not necessarily for your benefit to help you grow or be great but to stray you away from your real purpose. Once again, good read.
Decisive, throat grabbing writing. Poignant.
Wow, this is good. We are not to be unequally yoked and also stay away from manipulative people. This requires discernment and it's unfortunate at times that we have to encounter them in order to gain that discernment.
And the picture is spot-on. The seeds of doubt that the enemy puts into our minds destroy and suffocate what God is trying to plant. Be wise. Be vigilant. Be discerning by Holy Spirit.
I am also taking this as a warning in checking my own heart as well and allowing God to work in me to remove those narcissistic tendencies that come from our sinful nature.