Tailored Temptation
The Devil is a master at knowing how to tempt us. When he tempted Jesus, he tailored the temptation to Jesus. The temptation was about timing. He was very hungry, and would soon have food. It would have been a sin to command the stones become bread and use his divine powers for that purpose. He came to be a man and know what we go through. How could he do that by making stones into bread in oder to satisfy his hunger?
As with most temptations, the sin is the timing rather than the thing itself. Eating is not a sin, but not waiting until he could have food prepared the normal way would have been counter to his purpose here, and would have been a sin. The other temptations are the same.
The Devil is great subtlety...at twisting the plain and common truth of his lies into something that can seem right. It's not until afterwards that we realize the lie we bought.
My prayer is that in this new year, my eyes will consistently be open to God's truth and see beyond the Devils lies. Not to point out sin in others (another temptation of the Devil is to get me focused on anyone but me), but to keep my own heart directed to God.
As with most temptations, the sin is the timing rather than the thing itself. Eating is not a sin, but not waiting until he could have food prepared the normal way would have been counter to his purpose here, and would have been a sin. The other temptations are the same.
The Devil is great subtlety...at twisting the plain and common truth of his lies into something that can seem right. It's not until afterwards that we realize the lie we bought.
My prayer is that in this new year, my eyes will consistently be open to God's truth and see beyond the Devils lies. Not to point out sin in others (another temptation of the Devil is to get me focused on anyone but me), but to keep my own heart directed to God.
