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LOOK OUT FOR THE HOOK!
I enjoy fishing. Just
being close to a river or lake can make my reel hand twitch. But I stand
in awe of those fishermen whose tackle boxes look like a division of the
Smithsonian Institute. They are constantly in search of the best
temptation for their favorite fish, the bait with the right motion,
smell, colors and size. As one whose tackle box usually is a jumbled
repository of rusted hooks, small bits of dried worms, broken
reel parts, itinerant fishing weights and sundry pieces of fishing line
of various weights, I admire the angler who, at a moment's notice, can
lay his hand upon the exact lure for the current time of day, depth of
water and expected prey.
Satan is an accomplished angler. He is a tempter (see Matt. 4:3) and
James explains how temptation leads to sin. He writes, "But each one is
tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when
desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is
full-grown, brings forth death" (Jas. 1:14,15). Satan makes use of our
own desires to tempt us, dangling the bait of anticipated pleasure in
front of us. We sin when we yield to the temptation; we "take the bait"
and the body acts to fulfill our sinful desires. Satan reels us in. Many
times I have fished without success. Sometimes I knew that fish were
present, but I couldn't find the right bait or the right presentation of
it.
Nothing I cast before them was of particular appeal and so we ate beef
instead of fish at the next meal. Satan understands that not all of us
are tempted by the exact same bait. For some, physical pleasures
(alcohol, illicit drugs, fornication, i.e., the lust of the flesh) are
the lure which captures the attention. For others, fame or power is the
bait that entices (the pride of life; see 1 Jno. 2:16). Understanding,
however, the relationship between our own desires, temptation and sin is
invaluable in the battle against temptation. The fish that won't bite
doesn't get caught. The person who guards his
thoughts and controls his desires may be tempted, but he avoids sin.
The manufacturers of lures understand that the most effective lure
closely resembles the real thing, the customary, savory and harmless
food of the fish. Satan's baits employ similar deception. Have you
noticed that sin frequently seems so good,
promising pleasure and satisfaction? It is only after we have seized the
bait that we realize that we have been taken captive. What fish enjoys
the feel of the hook?
Be careful; Satan is a tireless angler. He is apparently not discouraged
if he doesn't catch me on the first cast. He changes baits. Sometimes he
attempts to wear down my
resistance by repeated presentations of the same bait. The good news is
that, despite his fishing ability, the Scriptures assure me that I can
win against temptation (Jas. 4:7; 1 Pet. 5:9).
--Allen
Dvorak via. Gospel Power, Vol. 13, No. 33,
Aug. 13, 2006.
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