3 Free Resources Unmasking deception-abuse-betrayal

Dab means “just a little bit.” DAB could also stand for deception, abuse, and betrayal.

There was a commercial in the 1950s about a product called Brylcreem and the song that accompanied it was “A Little Dab’ll Do Ya.” Supposedly “the gals will all pursue ya.” There’s little relationship between the product and this post — just a dab — it spells bad backwards.

Deception

When there has been a lack of integrity — in other words, intentional lies — deception affects the receiver, the victim of the lies. Treacherous territory is like stepping on a cliff that falls when you expected it to hold you up.

Deception is abuse.

Abuse

Abuse is either a verb or a noun and means to “ use (something) to bad effect or for a bad purpose; misusetreating (a person or an animal) with cruelty or violence, especially regularly or repeatedly.” Sometimes, the abused person or animal does not understand the definition, the characteristics, the cause, or the solution. The abuser may be aware or unaware of what causes them to be abusive.

Some people, like June Hunt, reach out to those who have been or are being abused. The top 3 most requested topics of the 96 free resources at Hope for the Heart are these:

1. Verbal and emotional abuse
2. Anger
3. Forgiveness

Each of the mini-books examine the definitions, the characteristics, the causes, and potential solutions.

Betrayal

Related to deception is betrayal. You thought you could trust them. They let you down. They cheated you out of something. They didn’t keep their word or their vow. Betrayal hurts and is unexpected. Judas betrayed Jesus. As Christians you can expect to be mistreated and betrayed at some point in your life. Tyndale was betrayed in 1535 and burned at the stake for printing the Bible in English. These “friends” turned against them.

Dealing with the BAD stuff

Betrayal. Abuse. Deception. To overcome the loss of what you expected, you need to view whatever it is as a death to your expectations. Mourn the loss. Take time to determine what you will do differently the next time. Repent for having trusted them. They usually do not repent and repair the relationship. They keep up the lie and blame you besides. Just turn around the DAB into BAD. Turn around these words into those:

Of all the words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these: It might have been.

into

Of all the words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these: It might have been.

No difference? Same words but different perceptions. You might have kept on believing their lies, continuing to be abused, defending your deception. It might have been worse. Now you are free to see the real person under the mask of deception, abuse, and betrayal. No longer will you blindly trust those who never will repent of their self-serving behavior.