Sin is kinda like that

So my buddy Reid and I had just finished facilitating a session at our church. Being hungry for a little snack, we raided the kitchen (ok, more like a kichen-ette) browsing for a left over a snack or two. Reid opened the freezer door, and in slo-mo I saw his face begin to change as a glint made it's way into his eyes and huge grin unfolded - I watched with anticipation as he put his hand into the freezer and pulled..out..an..(wait for it now!)..enormous See's Candy bag! As I drooled in anticipation; he opened the bag and pulled out frozen peas. Yup, you read correctly - frozen PEAS - the little round green vegetables. What kind of a sicko (well, it's someone in my church so I guess I shouldn't be so judgmental) would do that kind of transgression? How cruel is that? What were you thinking?

Well, it got me to thinking that sin is kinda like that. MMM, looks so good on the outside. The temptation phase - the desire to indulge, the anticipation of pleasure - but it's just stinkin' frozen peas on the inside.

If there is any lesson to learn from this, it's something like this - it's all on the outside. No matter what the temptation is, it's a hollow shell - a pinata with no prize; socks and underwear for Christmas. Reminds of me of 1 Timothy 5:6 (which I'm taking slightly out of context but I think it applies to men as well) "But she who gives herself to wanton pleasure is dead even while she lives". Ouch!

Bottom line - in the passage often erroneously called the Lord's Prayer, which is actually our model for prayer; we see these words - "lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil". And frozen peas too.