Tools of the Trade

 During our recent week at the Outer Banks, we visited Jeannette's Pier and walked the length of this very nice, long fishing pier.  We spent nearly an hour wandering along the pier, looking out at the depths of the Atlantic Ocean, which was teeming with jelly fish that day; chatting with fishermen and admiring their catch (although the only fish we actually saw were very small!); and watching surfers trying to catch that elusive big wave.

I noticed various signs with info about "tools of the trade" for fishermen.  There were boards featuring pictures of fish with their names, depths of the water at certain points along the pier, and pictures of various lures to entice fish.  

The lures caught my attention.  There was a triple swivel rig, a fireball rig, a jerk jigger and a double bucktail.  All kinds of bright, shiny objects to catch a fish's attention and tempt it to want to take a bite.  Of course, we know what happens when a fish takes a bite of one of these sharp suckers -- bam!  He's been caught and he just might end up in a frying pan.

I thought, "Huh!  This reminds me of lures the enemy uses to tempt men, women and children to want something they should not have or to do something that is not good for them.  The first lure was cast out by Satan long ago in the Garden of Eden when he said to Eve, "Has God indeed said , 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?"  From that moment, he began reeling her in, tempting her to want something she was not supposed to have.  Sadly, she took the bait and we've all been in the frying pan ever since!

James warned in 1:14, "But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed."  Peter also tells us, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour," 1 Peter 5:8.

We've seen some of the rigs and lures used by fishermen to catch their unsuspecting prey.  What about us, what are some of the lures the enemy uses to catch us?  We read about numerous Biblical men and women who gave into temptation:  King David was lured to sin by lust and pride, Ananias and Sapphira by greed and pride, Peter and Abraham by fear, Moses by anger.  These are just a few examples of men and women taking the enemy's bait and committing sin.  

What about you and me?  We first need to recognize the lure that's been plopped in front of us -- see it for the sin it is and then "resist the devil and he will flee."  the Apostle John warned: "Do not love the world or the things in the world...for all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - is not of the Father but is of the world," 1 John 2:15-16.

It's not easy when we're swimming around in a world with pretty, shiny objects that seem to be calling our names.  But, we have been assured by our Lord that, "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape that you may be able to bear it," 1 Corinthians 10:13.  

Whew!  That is a relief, because I certainly don't want to end up in the frying pan -- or the fire!