Beware of Fake Friends
Proverbs 26:24-25 Enemies disguise themselves with their lips, but in their hearts they harbor deceit. Though their speech is charming, do not believe them, for seven abominations fill their hearts.
Did you know that you can now buy an AI friend? Yep! An artificial intelligence company going under the brand name “Replika” will sell you, and I quote, “The AI companion who cares. Always here to listen and talk. Always on your side.” Fantastic. What could possibly go wrong?
On the one hand, it’s pretty clever, right? On the other, how tragic that a human being would need to resort to a computer program for friendship – after all that’s what AI is, that and a sophisticated database called a “neural network”.
The best way of describing this “AI companion who cares”, who’s “always on your side”, I think, is a fake friend. It’s not real, no matter how clever the technology gets. But hey, we haven’t had to wait for the advent of artificial intelligence to discover fake friends. They’ve been around since time immemorial.
Proverbs 26:24-25 Enemies disguise themselves with their lips, but in their hearts they harbour deceit. Though their speech is charming, do not believe them, for seven abominations fill their hearts. (NIV)
I wonder… when have you been deceived by a fake friend? How did it turn out for you? Are you keen to repeat the experience? I think not! But they’re still out there.
Doubtless still today, within your circle of friends, work colleagues, acquaintances and sadly perhaps even family, there are one or two fake friends – people whose so-called “friendship” is merely a pretext for furthering their own ends; whose flattery only serves to mask their deceit. Be careful of those people. Very careful.
Though their speech may be charming, don’t believe them, for abominations fill their hearts.
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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