Tempation is a Demonstration

Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." (Matthew 4:3 NKJV)

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Did you ever wonder why the Lord lets Satan do his thing? If God is all-powerful and cares so much about us, why doesn't He just wipe out the devil along with all of the temptations he throws our way? Wouldn't this world be a wonderful place if there were nothing out there to draw us away from God and if He were the only thing we could possibly love?

Think of what that type of love would look like. If God were all there was to love, then our love for Him would be forced love, which really isn't love at all. Love can only be proven true when it is challenged by other choices. Imagine a food menu with only a single item on it. Ordering that item doesn't prove that a person likes it. But if someone goes to a restaurant with a twenty-six page menu and orders a roast-beef sandwich, we can conclude it's something he or she really enjoys eating. This is because true love can only be proven in light of other choices.

God wants our love for Him to work the same way. He doesn't create temptation, but He allows them because they test our love for Him. We're tempted to steal, but God tells us not to. We're tempted to hate, but God tells us not to. We're tempted to lie, but God tells us not to. Which way will our love go, toward the temptation or toward the Lord's will for our lives?

When we make the choice to obey God, it proves that our love for Him goes beyond the sinful enticements of this world. God allows temptation because it gives us the opportunity to demonstrate our obedience and love for Him.

Dig -- Why doesn't God eliminate all the sinful temptations of this world?
Discover -- What are some temptations that compete with your love for God?
Display -- How will you prove your love for God today?

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from the Active Word