Little Temptations

I went to the cash register, the one where you scan the items yourself.
The line was long since more winter weather is in the forecast.
It was the typical assortment of milk and bread that I saw in people’s baskets.
I was buying fruit and a few other things.

Six registers all being used with at least that many people waiting in line.
One by one people finished, and one by one people stepped up to begin.
Finally it was my turn.
A woman finished bagging her things and turned and smiled at those of us in line.

I got out my customer card, which was the first thing I scanned.
I only had a few things.
The final prompt came up on the screen for me to insert my cash.
I looked down, surprised at what I saw.

Two five-dollar bills were lying in the cash dispenser.
The lady who looked back and smiled at those of us in line must have forgotten it.
She left without her change.
She was probably driving away by now.

So there it was.
Two five-dollar bills lying there.
Finders keepers, I heard many times in my school days.
Who would know?

I would know and God would know.
I took the two five dollar bills and laid them on the side of the scanner.
There they were in full view.
I finished my transaction, remembering to get my change.

I picked up the two five dollar bills and handed them to the person in charge.
The person who handles the occasional problems of the do-it-yourself cash registers.
She looked surprised that I was handing it to her.
I will just put it here, she said, the woman may come back.

I didn’t walk away proud of myself for doing the right thing.
I walked away wondering why, for even a brief second, the choice was even considered.
Why is it sometimes hard to do the right thing?
Why do we pat ourselves on the back for doing what we should have done all along?

The sin nature that is in each of us rears its ugly head.
The little temptations are put in our path.
The little temptations that no one will ever see.
The little temptations that mean hardly anything in the scheme of things.

If we believe that giving in to temptation hurts no one, we are gravely mistaken.
If we believe that we can rationalize our little sins away, we are naive.
If we boast in the fact that we did not succumb to temptation, we are foolish.
If we think that temptation is always something we can defeat, we are wrong.

Jesus never sinned.
Yet Jesus was tempted.
Temptation, by itself is not sin.
Giving into temptation, and acting on it, is sin.

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry. The tempter came to Him and said, “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written:  ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” Then the devil took Him to the holy city and had Him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command His angels concerning You, and they will lift You up in their hands so that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’ ” Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” Again the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give You,” he said, “if You will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’ ” Then the devil left Him and the angels attended Him. (Matthew 4:1-11)

Jesus was tempted.
Jesus was tempted to have the crown without the cross.
Jesus was tempted to bypass the pain for the glory.
Jesus was tempted to save Himself, which would have kept us in our sin.

Jesus was victorious over the devil’s temptations.
Jesus had victory by using the Word of God to combat the enemy’s lies.
Jesus had His Sword with which to defend Himself.
The Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God.

We are lukewarm today about the Word of God.
It is the same old lie from the Garden.
Did God really say?
When we question the validity, inerrancy, and infallibility of the Word we are defeated.

Jesus quoted the Word of God to overcome Satan’s temptations.
Jesus spoke Truth to combat lies.
Jesus was victorious because God’s Word revealed the error in the devil’s promises.
Satan can never deliver.

I am not this wonderful person because I did not take the two five-dollar bills.
I did not do some magnanimous act, which I should be commended for.
I am a sinner, saved by grace.
I live under the authority of the Word of God.

I am a sinner, saved by grace.
I live under the authority of the Word of God.

I have to remind myself of that Truth when my faith is shaky.
I have to remind myself that I am not my own boss.
I have a Lord.
I have a Master.

Praise God I do!
Mountaintops, pinnacles of temples, and stones into bread are not unique to Jesus.
Every day we each are given temptations that are like dangling carrots before us.
As believers in Jesus, we are under His Authority.

I am so thankful that we are.