This past week I preached on the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. That story lifts up a rather discomforting fact. Simply this–Evil is a predator. I know a couple of things about predators from spending time in the woods. First off, predators attack animals they believe they can take down. They look for something smaller, perhaps injured or weakened.
So, it doesn’t surprise me that the story as record in Luke 4:1-13, tells us that Satan tempted Jesus after he had fasted 40 days. Jesus was hungry and weakened. When Satan failed to tempt him the Bible also tells us that Satan, “departed until an opportune time.” When you are in a weakened state, you a far more prone to pour decisions. Sin is more likely to occurred. Being weakened doesn’t have to be physical. Temptation will prey upon you when you are angry, depressed or mentally fatigued.
So, what does any of this have to do with the boy scouts. In the late 80’s the Boy Scouts recognized that some people will prey upon children. To prevent that from happening the Boy Scouts put together some great training for adult volunteers to reduce the odds of that happening. Now every adult leader must have complete Youth Protection Training. More importantly they taught and continue to teach every child in the program how to respond to a predator. The response is easy to remember, effective and applicable to our spiritual lives.
Each scout is taught 3 r’s to remember when someone does something that is questionable. Those R’s are: Recognize, Resist, and Report. This is a great rubric for how we should respond to temptation.
Recognize
When Jesus was tempted he immediately recognized the danger. He knew and understood the Word of God. That knowledge gave him the awareness to resist. It also gave him the tools he need to fight back. If you read the story you will notice Jesus counters each temptation with a spiritual truth from God’s word.
Resist
When I read the story of Jesus temptation I was reminded of 1 Peter 4:8-9,
“Be sober of spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.”
Resistance may be as simple as rejecting and ugly thought that enters your mind or as demanding as severing relationships that are spiritual dangerous for you. Whatever the cost strive to eliminate those influences internal and external that pull you away from God.
Report
Jesus story doesn’t reflect any cry out for help, but God has placed us together in his body to be a support for one another. When you are struggling with a sin, find someone you can confide in. The more we hide our sin the easier it is to continue in it. If you struggle is embarrassing and you currently have too much shame around it to tell someone specifically what is going on, then at the very least tell someone, “I am struggling right now and I need your prayers.”
When I was desperately struggling with depression, I was amazed at how many people came forward with a similar struggle once I was willing to share mine. Hiding when you are lost, makes it very difficult to become found.
I want to add an “R” to the Boy Scout rubric of Recognize, Resist, and Report.” My “R” is rejoice.
Rejoice
When God delivers you from a struggle, celebrate. Give God credit for God’s grace. Share with other people what you have witnessed God do. Your story might be the ray of hope that pierces someone else’s darkness. Your story might be the invitation for someone else to cry out to God.