It is always easy to say that we can keep our faith and know what the temptations are. The problem we face is that when temptations approach us, it is often at that point we will lose our strength of mind and as a consequence do something we ought not to do.
For example, when driving trying to rush to get somewhere for an important commitment, suddenly, we're cut off when another vehicle comes out of a side street. In the city, this is common, and I live in a city. If now live in Sydney now, but try China where I come from.
Each of us who encounter this, need to slow down, more importantly to avoid a crash. What do we do in our heart? I believe that not many of us in our heart of hearts will be gentle to that driver. However, Jesus told us to even love our enemy, is that driver worse than our enemy?
How about if we turn this around. Imagine there was a crash. In effect, because you didn't slow down and thereby creating a situation where two other vehicles collided, but you still got to be at the place where you needed to be, on time?
What if the crash was obviously going to see somebody injured. Should you keep going? There are a thousand reasons not to stop. Yes, we might be late, but stopping might be the better thing to do.
Is caution the better part of valour? We perhaps should be thinking about exercising caution in our driving under such situations and ensure as much as we are able, there is no crash of any vehicle.
The temptation is to be where we need to be and be done with. Sometimes, we need to slow ourselves down to look back on our own footprints and to adjust our attitude towards life. In such situations, we can resist the temptations. But how difficult it can be.
My friend Jason
Not long ago, I caught up with a friend whose name is Jason (changed his name for this article), a mate who I have not seen for a quite a while. Jason complained that one of our college classmates, a certain Mr. A., is now a rich and successful businessman. Jason compared this Mr A,, and his situation with his own.
Mr A., was no better at study, and not as physically taller or stronger and certainly no more handsome (in those years). Now, Mr A., is driving the latest model of Mercedes Benz, whereas in college he rode a bicycle. Jason moaned he was driving a small Toyota town car when at college and is still driving it.
Jason found it difficult to face the reality and was trying to compare himself with Mr A's business success. Jason said that he believed he worked harder. To me, I think of all this - to set Mr A's success as a motivation, to help me work harder to achieve my own goals.
But Jason fell into the temptation to compare himself with another and then complain to everyone about it. To me, it doesn't seem to be a healthy way forward. Jealously comes with it. Envy abounds. Covetness embodies itself with the condition.
Jason appeared to be engaged in a hard row to hoe. He felt frustrated as he wasn't meeting his own goals. He was very unhappy and his face expressed such a condition.
It seems to be that there are times we need to reassess where we are in our lives and associated issues relating to temptation. Like Jason, it can end up as a pretty sad situation.
Since then, I am now more thankful, I am now more content. Life has many shadows, and falling into temptation brings shadows we need not have in our hearts.
Jesus' way is to trust Him, being thankful and be content with a joyful heart.
Oscar Duan is from China, he has an accountancy degree from University of Hertfordshire (UH) International campus in Malaysia, and has undertaken further accountancy studies in Australia for accreditation here. He is married to Heyley.
Oscar Duan's previous articles may be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/oscar-duan.html