American Idol concludes tonight. It’s been a long road for Kris Allen and Adam Lambert.

Long forgotten are the shows early in the season where we get to see all the truly terrible singers who somehow think they’re good. Maybe the producers coach some contestants to act cocky and look shocked when the judges can’t see their obvious talent. I don’t know if there can be another explanation for how wrong these people are about their singing abilities.

Actually, I think there is another explanation. It’s found in Galatians:

“If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.” –Galatians 6:3

It’s possible to think you’re a big deal when really you’re not. It’s possible to think you’re good at something when you’re really not. It’s possible to think you’re something when you’re really not. And when that’s how you think, you’re self-deceived.

It’s not enough that Satan deceives us. It’s not even enough that other people deceive us. No, we’ve got to get in on the action and deceive ourselves.

I’m not going to get into the reasons we might deceive ourselves or what we can do about it. For now, let’s just be aware that it happens.

What that means is that right now, there’s a chance, maybe even a good chance, that you’re deceiving yourself. And I’m right there with you.

So here’s the question: how willing are you to not be self-deceived?

Don’t answer too quickly.

Ignorance is bliss, right?