Today is…

the ideal day to learn when to walk away and when to run.

“No temptation has over taken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.”  1 Corinthians 10:13 NASB

A once-popular song contains the phrase, “Know when to walk away, know when to run.”

While the use of the phrase in the song wasn’t speaking to the issue of temptation, this is actually excellent advice for each one of us and it is very important we understand its meaning.

Every person faces temptation. The type and severity may differ, but we all are confronted with it, and there is no sin in the temptation itself. How we deal with it differs from person to person, but we must each determine for ourselves how best to do that. Some temptations may be “little” ones that we are strong enough to simply walk away from. Others may present a greater challenge and we may find it necessary to run away.

As Paul tried to teach the members of the Church in Corinth, “God…will provide the way of escape….” He will be there to provide us with the strength that we need and the speed that we need to quickly and safely remove ourselves from the reach of temptation’s grasp.

But we need to learn to turn to God first when we are tempted.

Evil is very seductive. Evil comes to us wrapped in attractive packages. Evil presents itself as harmless. Evil has one objective and one objective only, and that is to get each of us to succumb to its temptation and compromise our honor, our integrity, our character, and our relationships with our spouses, families, friends and – of the utmost importance – God.

When Jesus’ brother, James, wrote to Jewish Christians who lived outside of Palestine, he was very clear in stating the potential for disaster when we don’t walk, or run, away from temptation.

“But each one is tempted when by his own evil desire he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full grown, gives birth to death.” (James 1:14-15 NIV).

When we walk – or run – away from temptation and ultimately, sin, we actually turn towards God. The more we focus on God; the more we ask for His strength; the more we proclaim our faith and love of the Lord and all He stands for, the less we will be threatened by the seductive nature of evil and the temptations that exist all around us.

The more we learn about the power of God, the easier it is to recognize those times when we can feel safe simply walking away, or when we had better run.

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Taken from “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, (C) 2013 Tony Casson