It’s not a matter of IF you’ll be tempted, it’s more a matter of WHEN. When that happens, how will you respond?
In Matthew 4 before Jesus begins his earthly ministry, we see Jesus going out into the desert. It is here that he has fasted for 40 days and 40 nights. He is hungry. The tempter (ie Satan, the devil, the evil one) comes to him and tempts him. He says “turn these stones into bread” to that Jesus answers “It is written: Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from God.”
Jesus, by no stretch, could easily turn each and every stone into bread. That would have been so easy for him to do. However, Jesus knew if he did that, he would be known as The Man Who Makes Bread.
Yes, he could have fed masses of people on this power, and that would not have been bad – but that would have been short sighted of him, he would have been operating outside of God’s will. That’s not what he came for.
We are often faced with this economical temptation in our own lives. No matter the environment we live in. We will be repeatedly presented with the temptation to make ourselves look better in the short term. The temptation to be known in our culture is great and presented often. It’s so great in fact, it can blind us as to what we’re really here for.
The notoriety in our culture today pushes us to gain followers by the mass. One after another, by any means necessary. People buy them, fake them and in it all, destroy their integrity. For what? For a small glimpse of fame. A quick satisfaction of your hunger pains? Why gain the whole world and lose your soul?
Jesus reminds us, in his resistance of this temptation to not be short sighted in our own lives. To not let circumstances, economic or social notoriety dictate your actions or compromise your integrity. You are not sustained on bread alone. You are sustained by every word that comes from God.
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