When Innocence Meets Temptation

Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? - Genesis 3:1.

Mooch was a cat with manners. If she wanted to sit in my lap, she would first rest a paw on my knee or elbow and wait until I granted her permission. She stayed off the furniture unless invited and even waited for her brother to finish eating before she started her meal. She had one quirk, however. She loved purses.

My houseguests' purses held more temptation—lipstick and mascara—than Mooch could withstand. These toys produced enchanting clatter skittering across the kitchen floor. She would dig for them right beside my guest and in front of me, her head buried up to her haunches and tail waving high in excitement.

I would cry, "Mooch! Mooch!" and she would lift her head with ears flattened and whiskers wilting, and then run off, only to slink back as the conversation picked up again.

She had plenty of toys to play with. Some had catnip in them. Some bounced. Some would make a similar clatter across the kitchen floor. But she forgot who she was if she thought she could get her paws on lipstick, mascara, or a Montblanc pen.

Eve had plenty of fruit to eat, but the serpent got her thinking about the forbidden tree. Like Mooch, she forgot all else. Eve may have believed the serpent was beginning a conversation about God. In fact, the serpent was beginning a conversation about eating the forbidden fruit.

Temptations occur when we least expect them. Eve wasn't mindful of the forbidden fruit until the serpent began asking about it. We can read this story and think that we would do better in her situation. Yet we've all succumbed to temptation at one time or another. Temptations spring up throughout our life. Haven't we all eaten more than enough of our favorite food, pushed someone's buttons in an argument, or coveted what doesn't belong to us?

We need to be mindful of temptations because giving in to them can ruin our life, our relationships, and undermine our closeness to God.

Prayer: Our Loving Heavenly Father, sometimes we don't realize when we are being tempted. Steer us clear of the crafty serpents in our life. Guide our focus to rightness with you. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer.Gratefully, In Jesus Loving Name I Pray, Amen."