IT'S NOT FOR YOU

“Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.” (Pr 7:15 AV)

Temptation becomes sin when we personalize it.  The strange woman tells her prey a huge lie here.  She states she made her bed ready and was diligently searching for him.  Not just anyone, but him in particular.  She woos him by making him believe this temptation was reserved strictly for his pleasure only.  Imagine the impact on this man’s ego!  Of all the young men she could have, she wanted me!  Of all the other options out there, she thinks I am the best!  Surely this temptation must be worth the risk because it is tailor made for me.  This young man has fallen even before he is fallen.  He has been convinced this one temptation can only be enjoyed to its fullest if he is the one to indulge.  He figures he and he alone is the only one with that desire.  Because he personalized the temptation, he falls into sin.

The world of sales knows this.  The good closer knows that if he can make the decision a personal one, he has gotten you on the hook.  I have been to enough car dealerships to know the technique.  You check out a car.  Go for a test drive.  The salesman begins to point out all the features.  Then he may say something like, “look how the rear-view mirror is the exact distance for your arm.” Or, “I noticed how you melted into your seat.  It looks as those seats were made just for you.”  Or, “I noticed how the interior colors match your eyes perfectly.”  Then the coup de grace, “So, how did you like driving your car.  I can’t imagine any other person in the driver’s seat. This is your car.”  Their intent is to tempt you to take ownership of the temptation before you actually do.  This is a master stroke of the devil (not that car dealers are – so, sorry) to temp the weakened soul into finally taking the plunge.  Temptation and pleasure are not tailor made. 

THIS IS NOT FOR ME is a great way to avoid falling into sin.  Because of health issues, I am being put on a much healthier diet.  This is a good thing and probably should have been the course of action a while back.  My wife and I are learning Mediterranean cooking over our normal American diet.  Breakfast is pretty healthy for me.  Oatmeal or yogurt is my staple.  Dinner is where we are making the biggest change.  Ever once in a while my wife will bake something of a treat.  I know that I should not indulge.  They are for her.  They are not for me.  There sits a bag of chocolate chip cookies on the counter top.  They are not for me.  Even though I know how good they would taste, I also know what the chocolate would do to me.  They are not for me.  Even if she told me she baked them just for me, they would not be for me.  After a while, they cease to be a temptation.  IT IS NOT FOR ME is a great defense against the devil’s attempt to make is seem as though it is.  BTW – My wife is definitely not the devil either!