Temptation

   Temptation - an unpopular word. Temptations - those things that we like to deny and pretend that if we don't talk about them, they simply don't exist. Temptation - the things that can bring us down into a pit of darkness more quickly then we would ever like to admit.

    We face temptations every day. The temptation to put ourselves first. The temptation to think about our needs instead of the needs of the world. The temptation to live by our own power, not by the power of God. The temptation to assume. The temptation to gossip. The temptation to bring other people down. Shall I go on?

    We would like to think that temptations diminish with age and wisdom, but that simply isn't the case. As we grown older and our decisions as adults have even more far reaching consequences, the greater the temptation to give in and stray into doing things our own way in order to protect our own interests.

    When I read the story of the temptation of Jesus - I also see one very large temptation glaring forth that we don't like to talk about perhaps even more than the rest - the temptation to try to put Jesus in a box or predict Jesus's actions instead of living for Jesus. Here's the thing - no one who was looking for the coming of the Messiah would have expected him to show up in the wilderness or the Galilean country side. They expected for him to be in Jerusalem - no where else. So people started to discount Jesus's ministry before it had even begun because of their own assumptions, instead of seeking the Kingdom of God.

    When are the times that our own assumptions about Jesus get in the way of us proclaiming the Kingdom of God? Where are the places when our temptations become major stumbling blocks, both for ourselves and other, in proclaiming the reign of God? May we pray this week that the light of Jesus expose the truth about our temptations and that the power of God keep them in check, so that we can continue with what it most important - sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.