Temptation

Holy Scripture addresses the topic of temptation repeatedly, including in the prayer Jesus taught us, the Lord’s Prayer. Whether it is to keep temptation away or to shape how we respond to temptation, the reality is even Jesus was tempted to sin.

In general, we can identify sin pretty easily if for no other reason than we are given lots of boundaries such as the Ten Commandments, or Jesus’ greatest commandments about love. Whatever draws us from right relationship with God and with others can fall in the sin category: drunkenness, immorality, lying, cheating in all of its forms, murder, false witness, the list is long and rather interesting.

Honestly, however, as I’ve gotten older many of those don’t hold much appeal to me. The consequences have taught me a lot of lessons, mostly the hard way.

Biggest temptation for me nowadays? The temptation to fear. This is especially true as our children have grown-up and we have grandchildren, as we have aged and our health changes, as we and friends walk through poor health and sometimes a great deal of pain with our parents and elderly loved ones.

Drunkenness, murder, false witness, even grumbling don’t hold much appeal. But fear? First I didn’t really think of fear as a temptation but it really is. Fear draws away me from trusting the goodness of God. Fear causes me to try to micromanage things I never could manage even on my best and most powerful days. I’m clutching at control. Steering ships with wishfully desperate thinking.

There is not anything about this type of fear that draws me to God’s loving and safe arms. It is only when I capture the second thought and turn to God when the temptation to fear first sings its siren song, that I receive His peace and reassurance.