Let’s Not Trap Ourselves!
Categories: Church of Christ Bulletin ArticlesThe story is told of an interesting method of catching monkeys reportedly used by some folks in North Africa that is not only very interesting, but has a spiritual application to Christians as well.
A hunter hollows out a gourd and makes a hole in its side just large enough for a monkey to insert his hand. The gourd is then filled with nuts and tied to a tree.
Attracted by the smell of the nuts, the curious monkey reaches inside the gourd and grasps them. It’s interesting to note that the hole in the gourd is too small for the animal to withdraw his fist as long as it is tightly closed around the nuts.
Because he refuses to release his prize, the unsuspecting monkey falls easy prey to his captor (or captors). Unwilling to relax his grasp, he actually traps himself!
Brethren and friends, the old devil uses a similar method to ensnare us. He tempts us to grasp after more and more material possessions or vices — those things which we “think” will bring us security and peace of mind.
And like the monkey in the above story, as long as we tenaciously hold on to them, we are trapped [enslaved] (John 8:34; cf. Romans 6:16; 2 Peter 2:19) .
How relevant then is the biblical warning found in 1 John 2:15-17:
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 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. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”
Unlike the monkey in the above story, let’s not “hang on” to anything that the devil presents to us that would entrap us.
Let’s not be fooled by any of the devil’s schemes (2 Corinthians 2:11 NIV; Ephesians 6:11 NIV).