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III-3 WHAT’S GOOD ABOUT TEMPTATIONS
(James 1:2-12)
(March 28, 2004)

Once there was a sweet old lady who would never say a bad word about anyone! Her motto was: “If you can't say something good, don't say anything!” One of her gossipy friends said, “I'll bet we can get her to be critical. Let's ask her about the devil.” When asked what she thought about the devil, the old lady was momentarily stumped; but soon she smiled brightly and said, “Well, I'll say this about the devil. He sure ain't lazy!”

There are some words like Satan, evil, sin and temptation that seem to be totally negative. Yet, even as the old lady proved, there's always another view. Everything has a flip side. In the Chinese language, the word “crisis” is written with two characters: “tragedy” and “opportunity.” Every event in life has elements of both tragedy and opportunity.

The Scriptures reveal the two sides of temptations. Jesus said, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation . . .” (Matt. 26:41, AV).

Later James shows the flip side. “Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience . . .” (James 1:2-4, AV).
Now temptations certainly aren't desirable, but they can be valuable. What are the good things about temptations?

I. First, they make us think!

They test our character. They show us our weak areas. James said, “Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lusts, and enticed” (James 1:14, AV).

Temptations from without have no power unless there is a corresponding desire with-in. Adversities don't make us good or bad; but they do reveal what we are. They cause us to examine our values.

2. Second, temptations keep us alert.

Without them we'd be lulled into a dangerous complacency. Jesus said, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation” (Luke 22:46).

Don’t get pulled into questionable situations. Charles Haddon Spurgeon said, “Learning to say no, will be of more use to you than learning to read Latin!”

3. Third, temptations make us wise.

They teach us vital lessons. The Psalmist said, “It is good for me that I was afflicted, That I may learn Thy statutes” (Ps. 119:71).

4. Fourth, temptations make us strong.

They force us to draw on our inner resources. David said, “In the day when I called You answered me, and strengthened me with strength (against) (temptation) in my inner self” (Ps. 138:3, Amp).

Trees that grow in hostile climates have deeper roots and sturdier stems than those that grow in ideal environments. Likewise, people who face difficulties develop better resources for handling them.

5. Fifth, temptations draw us closer to God.

They show us the need for His divine presence. Peter said, “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation . . .” (II Peter 2:9).

6. Sixth, temptations give us confidence.

When we are able to prevail we validate our spiritual relationship. James said, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).

Frederick Faber said, “Every moment of resistance to temptation is a victory.”

7. Seventh, our failures can make us tolerant.

Paul said, “There is none righteous, no, not one: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:10,23)

As we go through the tragic consequences of our own mistakes, we'll become less judgmental. We’ll realize that we're all human beings and thus fellow sinners and brothers. On his last visit to Philadelphia, President John F. Kennedy gave a man a pencil that he had been writing with. On one end of the pencil was an eraser which showed signs of much use.

Recently when asked what he cherished most about the pencil the man replied, “It's the eraser! When I look at that eraser I'm reminded that even great men make mistakes.” None of us is perfect.

A certain self-righteous man gave constant litanies about his virtues. He said, “I don't drink! I don't smoke! I never over eat! I can't imagine why I keep having these terrible headaches.” “I think I know,” a long suffering friend replied. “Your Halo's too tight!” Once we've fallen on our face, we'll be a little more understanding of other’s weaknesses.

8. Eighth, temptations can make us more cautious.

Paul said, “Therefore, let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (I Cor. 10:12).

9. Ninth, temptations teach us to prepare.

Sometimes reaping the effects of our poor choices can prevent us from getting into worse situations later on. City managers in California say the minor earthquakes in 1987 were a blessing in disguise. “We'll prepare better now, and be ready for the bigger one that's bound to come.” Small temptations are like that. They help us prepare for bigger ones. Paul said, “Put on the whole armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes” (Eph. 6:11).

A little pain now may be better than a lot of pain in the future. Sometimes wise parents may let a child, who's intent upon climbing, actually fall from a small stool so he'll learn to avoid a higher stool that would be more dangerous.

The school of hard knocks is unpleasant and even painful; but it does teach! Some of us won't learn vicariously. We won't listen to advise! We won't be prudent on our own, so we have to learn the hard way! It's unfortunate, but it's better than not learning at all!

10. Finally, temptation allows us to experience the unconditional grace of God's forgiveness.

Of course, as Paul says, “We don't deliberately sin, so grace may abound . . .” (Rom. 6:1).

Nevertheless, in our lowest moments, we'll find that His grace is sufficient. God specializes in reclaiming sinners. Jesus said, “I have not come to call righteous men but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32).

Once we've fallen and found that God loves us anyway, our anxiety can be replaced by assurance. A young man said, “When I was a baby my mother tenderly cared for me. When I graduated from High School, my mother was very proud of me. When I was sick my mother patiently nursed me; but the time I felt the greatest love in all my life was once when I got drunk and was thrown in jail and my mother loved me anyway!”

It isn't hard to love the good, the successful and the healthy; but God loves the bad, the unsuccessful and the ill. Paul said, “God demonstrates His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).

So we see that temptations can be useful. Most of us recognize this once we have overcome and experienced victory! But what if we don't overcome? What if we don't experience victory? Once an inspiring, positive thinking orator was enthusiastically quoting Kipling:

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:
. . . . . .
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings,
And never breathe a word about your loss:

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!”

All at once, a shy, insecure member of the audience burst into tears, “Oh, yes, sir,” he said. “That's great, if we CAN; but what if we CAN’T?”

That's our fear and our question: What if we don't pass the exam? What if we don't stay alert? What if we aren't wise enough? What if we aren't strong enough? What if we aren't close enough to God? What if we don't gain confidence by achieving success; but instead lose confidence by experiencing failure?

In short, what if we sin? John said, “Don't worry. God made provision for that too.” “My little children, I am writing these things to you that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (I John 2:1).

Even failures can have positive results. As Paul says, “All things can work together for good” (see Rom. 8:28). In other words, some good can come out of bad events.

So, you see, as the old lady said, “You can find something good to say about almost anything.”

In Switzerland there is a town named “End der Welt.” In English this means “End of the World.” It is surrounded by high mountains and the road into it suddenly stops on the far side of town before an impassible rocky cliff. When you get here, you feel you can go no farther. Most people stop right there! But, hidden away in the rocks is a narrow path that leads up and over the mountain. If a person searches diligently, he can find that path and go on.

At certain times in life, nearly all of us reach a place like that. But, if we search diligently we can always find a path up and over the mountain of despair.

Once a hiker fell down the side of a mountain and was knocked unconscious. When he woke up, he had lost all sense of time and direction. He looked across the valley and saw that the sun was just above the horizon, but couldn't tell whether it was rising or setting. For the first time he realized that a rising sun looks just the same as a setting sun. Misfortune can be opportunity. They often look the same.

There is a painting which shows the devil at a chessboard with a young man. The devil has just made his move and the young man's queen is checkmated. On his face is written defeat.

One day a great chessmaster stood looking at the painting. Carefully he studied the positions on the board. Suddenly his face lighted and he fairly shouted to the young man in the painting, “You still have a move, sonny! Don't give up! You still have a move!”

It’s the same with us. When it seems we are utterly checkmated, the great Master of Life comes to us and says, “You still have a move. Don't give up! You still have a move!”

In fact, God gave us a wonderful promise about trials and temptations. Every Christian should memorize this verse: “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able; but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it” (I Cor. 10:13).

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These messages are from an unpublished manuscript © copyrighted 2004 by Miles and Maralene Wesner, Idabel, OK. Please use them in any way you think appropriate. The only thing we ask is that you give credit for original material in published works.