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When we think of Jesus as having no sin and yet being tempted in every way that we are, I think of President Carter losing a lot of support when he confessed, "I have lusted." If Jesus was temped in every way that we are temped, then he must have looked at a pretty girl and even wanted her. Maybe it was Mary Magdalene, as that one terrible book suggested. He must also have been tempted to broadcast his message as Satan suggested by jumping off the temple roof and having the angels catch him. That would have won him the election!
When I think of all the temptations I have had it is hard to imagine Jesus having all those temptations and resisting them all. As it says, we have sinned in thought, word, and deed. Most of us would be proud to say we have not sinned in deed but haven't we played with some temptations in our mind and enjoyed them? That "thought" part is what bothers me the most!
Our hope is in God's grace! He will give us the strength to resist not only deeds but thoughts. I know I can't overcome temptation without God's help!
We need to beg for God's grace so that we set a good example and not hurt God's image.
One of the first reasons we want to set an example is for our family. I am conscious of this when I visit my kids. When I was a kid, I heard some of those who worked with my dad say that they never heard him swear. I never forgot that and I wanted to set the same kind of example for my kids.
As a pastor I wanted to set a good example for my parishioners also. I wanted to drive carefully and treat store clerks respectfully -- especially when I was wearing my clerical collar!
On the mission field everyone knew we were Christians, so everything we said or did was noted by them. One missionary rented a huge mansion to live in when he ministered, and we heard many complain about those rich Americans flaunting their wealth. When he hired servants to help around the house it was even worse. I lived in one room of a three-story building, with other missionaries living on other levels! We also wore blue jeans and tennis shoes! We didn't even own a bicycle to get around and we had to walk long distances for almost everything we needed.
We stopped to talk with the down and out and even helped them with some support. (We couldn't have helped all of the poor or we would have been broke! Almost everyone was poor there.) The people who came to church had little more than the clothes on their back. We treated all as fellow Christians and tried to live humbly as they lived.
What kind of example are you setting? Ask God's help!
When I think of all the temptations I have had it is hard to imagine Jesus having all those temptations and resisting them all. As it says, we have sinned in thought, word, and deed. Most of us would be proud to say we have not sinned in deed but haven't we played with some temptations in our mind and enjoyed them? That "thought" part is what bothers me the most!
Our hope is in God's grace! He will give us the strength to resist not only deeds but thoughts. I know I can't overcome temptation without God's help!
We need to beg for God's grace so that we set a good example and not hurt God's image.
One of the first reasons we want to set an example is for our family. I am conscious of this when I visit my kids. When I was a kid, I heard some of those who worked with my dad say that they never heard him swear. I never forgot that and I wanted to set the same kind of example for my kids.
As a pastor I wanted to set a good example for my parishioners also. I wanted to drive carefully and treat store clerks respectfully -- especially when I was wearing my clerical collar!
On the mission field everyone knew we were Christians, so everything we said or did was noted by them. One missionary rented a huge mansion to live in when he ministered, and we heard many complain about those rich Americans flaunting their wealth. When he hired servants to help around the house it was even worse. I lived in one room of a three-story building, with other missionaries living on other levels! We also wore blue jeans and tennis shoes! We didn't even own a bicycle to get around and we had to walk long distances for almost everything we needed.
We stopped to talk with the down and out and even helped them with some support. (We couldn't have helped all of the poor or we would have been broke! Almost everyone was poor there.) The people who came to church had little more than the clothes on their back. We treated all as fellow Christians and tried to live humbly as they lived.
What kind of example are you setting? Ask God's help!
