Thursday, 30th October, 2025
Bible Reading: Ephesians 4:25, Matthew 7:15
Memory Verse: Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 1 Corinthians 13:6
Imagine you’ve been chatting with someone online for weeks. They seem funny, sweet, and say all the right things. Their profile picture is perfect, their stories sound genuine and it feels like he/she really gets you. But one day, you find out it was all fake. The person behind the screen wasn’t who they said they were. Maybe they used someone else’s photos. Maybe they made up stories to win your trust. That’s what’s called catfishing. Catfishing is pretending to be someone else online in order to deceive people. Sadly, this happens more often than we would like to admit, and many young people get caught in the trap, emotionally, mentally, and even spiritually.
Catfishing isn’t just an online trend or prank. It’s deception, and deception breaks trust. It leaves scars. It can lead to heartbreak, manipulation, and in some cases, serious danger. But God calls us to something better: truth! Whether it’s online or in real life, He wants us to be real with Him, with others, and with ourselves. 1 Peter 3:10 says, “Whoever wants to enjoy life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from telling lies.”
Take Martha, a 16-year-old who met someone called “Jay” on Instagram. He seemed kind and really easy to talk to. They messaged every day, and over time, she started developing feelings. Then he asked her to send personal photo, and something didn’t feel right. She told her cousin, who helped dig deeper. And guess what? “Jay” wasn’t a teenager at all. He was a grown man using someone else’s pictures to trick girls into sending him their nude pictures. Martha felt humiliated and hurt, but thankfully she spoke up in time.
Practical Tips:
1. Never share personal info (address, school, photos) with someone you haven’t met in real life.
2. Verify before trusting. If someone sounds too good to be true, talk to a trusted adult.
3. Be the real you. Don’t feel pressured to fake a perfect life or image online.
4. Report suspicious accounts to platforms or trusted adults. You might save someone else, too.
In a world full of filters, Artificial Intelligence (AI), edits, and fake profiles, truth stands out. Be real. Be safe. Be someone others can trust and someone who trusts God with every part of your story, including your online life. “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32
Quote: Catfishing is creating a fake online identity in order to deceive others.
Prophetic Decree: Any veil masking the enemy shall be unmasked, in Jesus name.
Prayer Focus
God, help me to be honest with You, with others, and with myself. Give me wisdom when I’m online, and courage to walk away from anything that doesn’t feel right. Teach me to be real in a world that loves fake. Thank You for loving me just as I am. Amen.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Luke 18
