Don’t Get a Taste of Temptation
Local authorities often put up temporary flashing signs by the road for traffic information. Maybe it is to let drivers know that an exit is closed for a short time, or that there is a parade on a certain date so traffic might be slower than normal.
But a town in Alberta, Canada currently has a message on those signs that I can honestly say I have never seen before:
“Do Not Let Moose Lick Your Car”
When I came across this story, I thought maybe it was some local joke or some “code” that was meant to draw attention to the drivers. Instead, it is very real, and it turns out to serve as a very useful reminder.
In Alberta, it has been snowing, so the roads are being cared for to keep driving as safe as possible. That includes–as we do here–putting down salt to help melt the snow and ice. Moose need salt. Moose like salt.
And if moose realize they can get salt by licking cars, they are more likely to be in the road where there is more salt, which will lead to a greater chance of tragic accidents.
Does that not illustrate well our need to stay clear of sin and temptation? We too often allow ourselves to get just a small taste of sin and, as James reminds us, we are drawn away and enticed (James 1:14). It becomes a little easier to fall into temptation the next time…and the next time…and the next time, but it all began with just a little taste of it.
I remember as a kid and teenager being told many times that, if you don’t ever drink your first sip of alcohol you won’t ever become an alcoholic. That advice, cliche as it might sound, is true across the board. A person who doesn’t get alone with a person he or she isn’t married to will never commit adultery. A teen who avoids online porn will never have to worry about a pornography addiction. The person who stays away from parties where drugs might be present will not have to be concerned with ending up buried in that lifestyle.
Yes, we will be tempted and, yes, we will give in at times. Sadly, we aren’t perfect at this. But, far too often, we get that first taste of temptation and we don’t stop there. We taste a little more and we end up having a tragic spiritual accident.
Instead, let’s resist the devil and trust the promise that he will flee from us (James 4:7). Don’t lick the car!
To Receive Every Article from A Legacy of Faith through Email for Free, Click Here
AUTHOR: Adam Faughn
