Obliterated Temptations

by | May 24, 2004 | Focus, Selfishness, Sin, Temptation

Driving to work is always a unique experience for me. The ever-changing beauty of the countryside never ceases to fill me with a sense of awe towards my Creator who cares so much for me.

One day as I entered the highway, I noticed something very peculiar: all of the other vehicles on the road were actually driving the speed limit! “That’s odd,” I thought. “Have all the drivers in this town become law-abiding citizens?” To my shame I have to confess that I was a bit annoyed. You see, I am speed demon by nature, and the “slow” pace made me begin to wonder if I should be concerned about exchanging my van for a horse and buggy!

That’s when I noticed the car marked OPP (Ontario Provincial Police) hidden amidst the other drivers, and suddenly I understood! Only the presence of the OPP could bring about such dedication to following the speed limit!

I quickly resigned myself to having to “creep” the rest of the way to school and joined the traffic a few cars behind the police car. Since I didn’t have to pay much attention to my driving (You know, no one to pass to maintain my high speed!), I turned my attention to the drivers of the other vehicles around me. Interestingly, all of their eyes were glued to the policeman. The drivers in behind him were staring straight at him, and the ones ahead of him were keeping an eye on him in their rearview mirrors! Everyone was so courteous and respectful, that I had to admit it was actually quite a pleasure to drive among such law-abiding citizens. Wow!

Then suddenly, speed increased and chivalry was replaced by the “I want to be in the front” obsession, and faces, including my own, soured. Why the transformation?

The OPP vehicle had exited the highway, leaving us to our own demise! The expression, “When the cat’s away, the mice will play” couldn’t have been more appropriate to the current condition of the highway!

This incident reminds me a bit of the highway of life. If we were only aware that the supreme authority of the Universe, the Holy One, is constantly in our midst, how different our behavior would be! But because He isn’t a visible entity, we hear things like:

“It’s mine!”

“Nobody will ever know…”

“I can do whatever I want…”

“Leave me alone!”

And then, when God DOES make His presence known, the tone changes to: “Oops! I didn’t notice God was here. I’m sorry!”

We tend to be too centered on self, and not centered enough on God. How different our world would be if we were more conscious of the presence of the Holy One and if we would keep our eyes focused on Him as our guide and our example. After all, He IS always among us, and He DOES see what we are doing: “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” (Heb. 4:13 NASU)

Let’s try to be more aware of the truth of 1 Cor 14:25: “God is really among (us) you!” For Jesus Himself, said: “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt 28:20 NIV). If we would concentrate on Jesus as much as the drivers I shared the highway with that day were concentrating on the OPP, we would steadily be transformed to His likeness, and acting Christlike would become second nature: “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” (2 Cor 3:18 NASU); and “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…” (Heb 12:2 NIV).

“Watch out! OPP ahead!”

Rob Chaffart

Post

Obliterated Temptations

Topics

Series

Archives