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Where is the danger in your life?

Simon Gibson

In my capacity as a municipal councillor, I have had a number of opportunities to do “ride-alongs” with officers in our city police department. Not long ago, I was out one evening with a traffic officer who is also a member of my church. As the evening progressed and I observed him detain various drivers for motor vehicle infractions, I noticed at least three procedures which intrigued me:

When parking behind a violating vehicle, he would generally angle his cruiser slightly. When I asked him why, he explained that should someone fire upon him, he would be protected by the engine block. When using his flashlight, I saw that he would hold it somewhat awkwardly above his head, pointing down at the driver. He stated that any attacks would likely be directed at the beam of the flashlight, thus reducing the likelihood of him receiving a serious injury. I was especially interested that, when approaching a vehicle, he would occasionally rest his hand close to his holstered handgun. I asked him how he decided to use this procedure. “It’s the hands,” he told me. “If I can see the hands, I feel quite safe, but if I can’t, I use more caution, because the hands are where the danger is.”

I’ve been reflecting lately on this conversation and how a police officer is trained specifically to discern risky situations and react in a way that will reduce the opportunity for harm. This traffic officer knew where the danger was and used procedures that would safeguard his life.

Similarly, in our Christian life, I have been growing in the realization that, as people of integrity, we need to be aware of the dangers that can overcome us and use caution in approaching situations that can damage us emotionally and spiritually. It has been my experience that such dangers – the temptations we face every day – rarely come wrapped as “surprise packages”. In fact, if we are honest with ourselves, we can nearly always identify those areas that can seduce us and separate us from our victorious walk with Christ. As the American humorist Will Rogers once said, “If a person gets into trouble more than 50 miles from home, he was looking for it.”

I draw upon personal knowledge when I reflect that part of the difficultly in confronting temptation is its enduring attractiveness. This, after all, is the key attribute of temptation. Furthermore, the danger circling about us, courtesy of the devil, is presented in attractive bite-size morsels. With each succeeding nibble, we become more ensnared until ultimately we have little will to disengage ourselves from the trap. While we know we must overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21) and can easily identify the temptations in our life, achieving victory over temptation is more complex.

It is comforting to reflect on Paul’s familiar words: “God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear” (1 Corinthians 10:13). Yet, I suspect that most of us would have to confess that we have succumbed to temptation on numerous occasions and have ended our day feeling defeated and, at times, distant from the Lord. We might have called out, “God, please give me a way of escape”, but frequently the charm of temptation has been just too inviting. Most Christians, if pressed, could likely identify those areas where they are tempted, but the capacity to “name the sin”, though essential, is only a small first step in reducing its power.

I recall a Christian man telling me about his weekend drives in the country with his wife. He explained they would usually drop by a corner store, at her request, and pick up a snack. He would accompany her, and while she was making her selection and purchase, he would visit the magazine section. He told me he would start glancing through the news and sports magazines on the lower shelves, only to finish by looking at the Playboy-type magazines on the top shelf. He admitted to me that he could not help himself; the attraction was too powerful. To avoid future temptation, rather than entering the store with his wife, his clear option was to stay in the car. This man knew the source of temptation and responded in a very practical way.

The devil knows our weakest point and is particularly pleased when we rely on our own strength to overcome his advances. We are to resist the devil (James 4:7), yet we can only achieve success through prayer and submission to God through Jesus Christ. In my own life, I have learned that the earlier I confess the possibility of being tempted, the more likely I am to deal constructively with the matter. Better still, if I consecrate my day – usually at the first opportunity in the morning – I can trust God to deliver me from the attraction of temptation.

I have also noticed that when I am preoccupied with the Lord and His ministry, temptation is of little consequence. For example, I recently returned from a Church Partnership Evangelism missions trip to Bolivia. Each day was filled with door-to-door evangelism and evening services. Our group, which included people from four countries, began each day with devotions and prayer; we bonded and grew tremendously in the Lord. Our mission was clear, and I was excited to be a part of the ministry, working together with fellow Christians. After my return to Canada, I reflected that the menace of temptation had been virtually non-existent in Bolivia. While I was busy with the Lord’s work, I was delivered from evil (Psalm 121:7,8).

The police officer I observed used very practical procedures to protect himself physically and was trained to expect the worst. The world we inhabit as Christians offers a multitude of dangers, all designed to separate us from fellowship with and dependence on God: illicit relationships, television, videos, magazines, alcohol, drugs – the list is endless. For each of us, there is a temptation waiting to consume us. We know what it is, and we need to deal with it.

Simon Gibson is a member of Northview Community Church in Abbotsford, B.C.

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Last modified October 5, 2001.

© 2001 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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