Tempting Choices

The irresistible bait on a mousetrap and a wiggling worm on a fishing line lure their intended victims to move in for a closer look. When we see a sign saying, “Wet Paint,” we want to touch the object. Adam and Eve wanted to eat from the only forbidden tree because the serpent convinced them they wouldn’t die but be as gods, knowing good and evil. “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed” (James 1:14). Wanting to satisfy our wants is tempting—follow-through can be deadly.

After a time of fasting, the devil tempted Jesus when He was most vulnerable: hungry, thirsty, and alone in the wilderness. But Jesus didn’t yield to his cunning, nor did He let His strength to resist be a source of pride. Instead, He declared God’s truth, confident that His Father supplied everything He needed—and the devil left Him. We, too, can be victorious over temptation’s lures: Surrender to and stay near God, resist the devil, and he will flee (James 4:7). Stay alert and avoid the bait.