the balance of choice

"Tempting" is a word we are all familiar with. Those on strict diets responds to chocolates or ice cream with the word, 'tempting.' Those who need to study for a crucial exam find it tempting to give in to sleepiness or laziness when they should be studying. We all get tempted and perhaps when i say "tempting," everyone will understand that it does not merely refer to an urge to do something that we should not be doing. One is tempted when one is allowed to experience a battle --- being asked to choose between something that is easy and something that is difficult --- the easy thing being the one that we really should not choose.

for me, there is rarely a day without temptation. just a couple of minutes ago, i felt tempted to pursue something i really should NOT. i am not talking about a wicked act. rather, i am referring to something as simple as doing something that is neutral but doing it with wrong motive and intentions. i could easily say "it's alright riz! it's not like it's gonna lead somewhere evil. of course you are entitled to enjoy, be happy, and do what you wish as long as it WILL NOT HURT anyone." but I KNOW that i know that all that is a lie. all of our actions have corresponding CONSEQUENCES. my choice now, no matter how small, will certainly lead into the fruit of whatver spirit it was done in. and NO, it is a lie that it will not hurt anyone! for sin or compromise, for that matter, will surely hurt anyone who engages in it. it is not enough to NOT do blatant sins! it is a must to guard our actions and be discerning of our motives --- when we make friends, is it because we want to give or because we want to acquire something for ourselves? when we do good, is it because we love or because we feel obliged to have the appearance of "love"? how about the little things? is there anything that we are doing for the wrong reasons? is there something we are tempted to do - for the wrong reasons - but we keep on justifying it's 'okayness' because outwardly it doesn't really look wrong, and we really want to get our flesh tickled with whatever it is we are desiring?

the temptation i faced today was nothing new. it had been courting me for quite some time now...

but today, i realize that everyday, as temptation offers me different colored flowers... my future too, hangs on the balance every day. every day i will be asked for a choice. i AM being ASKED to CHOOSE. every day, my life asks me to answer a question: today, is it going to still be YES LORD WHOLEheartedly? or SOMETHING ELSE? something else, meaning anything that is not wholeheartedly YES to Jesus. and if i may repeat, ANYTHING that is not WHOLEheartedly yes to Jesus. yes, everyday, i am being tested to decide who is Lord over my life. and yes, everyday, the destiny of a life, and the destiny of LIVES hangs on the balance of CHOICE.

so is it going to be YES Jesus or YES to a little bit of flesh-tickling temptation-satisfying invitation?

you don't need me to explain which one is worth it and which one will cost you more that you thought it will.