each one is tempted when he is drawn away ....

This morning I want to connect temptation and  the first commandment. In James 1:14 we read “each one is tempted when he is drawn away …” James was writing at a time when your decision to follow Christ could land you in the arena fighting wild animals (1 Corinthians 15:32). In such an atmosphere your faith would be much more than an intellectual belief, and could only be sustained through a deep and loving relationship with the living God. In such an atmosphere James’ readers would know well that it was that we could be drawn away from is intimacy with God,  and from the commandment to love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength.   

There are likely many things that can draw us away, but I want to mention two this morning that are so prevalent in our culture, namely covetousness and offence. Paul tells  us not to be squeezed into the world’s mold (Romans 12:2), and that covetousness is idolatry (putting anything ahead of our love for God Colossians 3:5). I think this was likely the rich young ruler’s stumbling block,  after asking  Jesus what he needed to do to obtain eternal life. Jesus tells him  “If you want to be perfect,  sell what you have and give to the poor” (Matthew 19:21). This is not a universal command, rather it is that  “where your treasure is,  there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). So here is an example of overcoming temptation by coming against it in the opposite spirit. We overcome covetousness by giving, we overcome the temptation to overeat, by fasting! And the more engrained our sin, the more radical we need to be in coming against it in the opposite spirit.

Coming to offence, our culture has made a virtue of it, loudly proclaiming our right not to be offended. But offence is a tool of the enemy to keep people stuck in prisons of victimhood. When I am a victim, it’s all the other person’s fault, and I don’t need to take responsibility for my response to wrong doing. Please don’t think that I am making light of your pain, or others wrong doing. But offence, bitterness and resentment are an infectious poison both to yourself, and to those around you (Hebrews 12:15). About it being infectious, I recently found myself in grave danger of bitching about people who bitch. So what’s the opposite spirit here? Well if I am to love my enemies (Luke 6:27), how much more should I pray for, and when appropriate,  gently confront  those who are trapped in offence and negativity’s jail (Galatians 6:1)?

Father, You have given us this amazing ability to think about our thoughts. So when we are tempted we can stand back and choose  the perspective of Heaven. But Lord, we need Your help to not dwell on what we do not have, or on what somebody else has that we want, and to not dwell on what was done to us, or not done for us. All these things Lord,  and many more,  have the potential to draw us away from You. Lord I want to be so close to You, that the moment I even begin to feel disconnected,  I will turn and run back to Your arms. Holy Spirit nudge me, or hit me over the head with a two by four in necessary, but please bring me back to Your embrace  in Jesus Name Amen