Decoys in Life by Jason Ling

1 Corinthians 10:13, ”No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

As fall is here and ducks begin their migration to warmer places, I watched a man lay out his array of decoys. I was amazed at how realistic some of these decoys appeared to be. I’m sure to a duck this looked like a good place to land and join his friends, completely unaware of the dangers that were just beyond his sight. This really got me to thinking about life and the dangers that lie just beyond my sight.

As I continue my own migration to warmer places with my Lord and savior, it seems like the evil one works overtime to set out his own decoys in my path. Sure at first these decoys may look amazing, but as I am distracted by them, I very well could be put into harms way. In other words, I could be tempted or distracted as I try my very best to follow Jesus.

Now temptation in itself is not a sin, but even the distraction of it can cause me to stray. What we do with temptation can be devastating. Even Jesus was tempted just as you and I are from time to time. Jesus relied on the Bible and his Father’s word to help in his own time of weakness to fight off the power of sin. 1 Corinthians 10:13, reminds us that God is always faithful and will be there especially in our times of trouble or need. He will help us when we struggle and provide us help in the form of his word, faith, Holy Spirit, or maybe even in some person he has placed in our life that leads us to His truth.

The truth is, God does provide a way out, but are we as people willing to ask and except that help from our Father? Will we be so fooled like the ducks, that we believe these decoys are the truth and be distracted to the point of our own demise?

I pray this week as Jesus did, that He lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one, for His is the kingdom, power and glory forever, amen.