flee temptation

Over the past year or so, I've been working on having healthier choices in hand at home. Not that junk food never passes my lips (ha!), but so that it's easier to eat a banana than a cookie when hunger strikes. In other words, I've learned the important lesson that it's easier to say no to junk food once, at the grocery store, than three or four times a day, in front of my pantry.

It strikes me that this lesson has a lot to teach me about the epistle's command to "flee temptation". Even though it'd be great to have the strength to say no to sin to its face, there's nothing wrong with avoiding coming face to face with that chance to sin in the first place. Yeah, it'd be lovely to see a bag of Trader Joe's White Cheddar Popcorn (the most glorious treat that store has to offer) and be able to say, "No thanks," but if I know that I would say "yes please" every time, then it makes sense never to buy it and bring it home in the first place.

I can think of loads of places this lesson would apply. It's why my husband and I chose not to have a TV in our house. We know that if we did, it'd be on all the time. We figured, back when we were engaged, that that would probably be bad for our marriage, and that we ought to just avoid the temptation in the first place. I'm glad we did.

There's subtler ones, like avoiding situations where you'd be tempted to jealousy. Or to lust. Or to anger. And, of course, you can't get yourself out of the way of all temptation. But if you know something's tempting to you, and it's easy to avoid, then avoid it! I guess what I'm saying is that I've learned that there's no need to try to prove my virtue. Mostly because I don't have that much virtue to prove.

Note that I'm not saying you ought to avoid all difficult situations. God calls us to difficult situations, time and time again. And if He calls you, you go, and He'll help you with whatever you encounter. But if it's one of those situations where it's really your choice, choose whatever path will make it easier not to sin. Flee temptation.

And here's the funny, unexpected payoff: the longer you don't sin a particular sin, the less appealing that sin gets. Try eating drinking nothing but water and milk for a week, and then have a can of soda. It won't taste the same way it did when you had it every day. You'll be able to taste that it's too sweet, too fake, in a way that you never could when you were constantly exposed to it. It's the same way with familiar sins. The longer you avoid them, the more foreign they become. And that's not the whole battle, but it sure helps.

Ah, the things you learn when grocery shopping!


peace of Christ to you,
Jessica

p.s. I'm not saying all junk food is bad either! Just using it for an analogy!