“Yield Not To Temptation” | Moral Fiber Illustrated
Categories: Church of Christ Bulletin ArticlesThe story relating to our title, “Yield Not To Temptation,” is told of a poverty-stricken mother with five children, who was on her way to a pawn shop, with hopes of getting a loan of $60 for her TV set. Then something very unusual happened — an armored truck filled with sacks of money suddenly drove past her, its rear door flew open, and a bag dropped out. The mother stopped and picked up the sack — inside was a total of $160,000 in cash!
A battle suddenly raged in her soul. She thought, “All of this money would pay all my bills and provide for the needs of my children.” But then she thought, “This money is not mine to keep.”
After several hours of struggling with her moral convictions, she called the police and turned in the money. Her sense of doing the right thing won her a great victory over the temptation to keep that which wasn’t hers to keep (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:13).
The call of “Yield Not To Temptation” was very real to her. Each of us will be tested.
How strong is our ethical fiber? Would it break down if we were faced with an enticing chance to do something wrong as the mother was in the above story? As we recall from Scripture, Adam, Eve, and Jesus were attacked by Satan on three fronts: The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). Adam and Eve succumbed to the serpent’s solicitation (Genesis 3:1-6) while Jesus did not (Matthew 4:1-11). We should heed the charge, “Yield Not To Temptation.”
Brethren, no matter what evil or temptation is pressuring us to do wrong, let’s follow Jesus’ example and do what’s right (1 Peter 2:21; 1 John 2:6; Hebrews 4:14-15; Hebrews 10:23-24). We’ll be richly rewarded for doing so (1 Timothy 6:17-19; cf. Matthew 6:19-20).
Yield not to temptation,
For yielding is sin;
Each victory will help you
Some other to win;
Fight manfully onward,
Dark passions subdue,
Look ever to Jesus:
He’ll carry you thru.
Ask the Savior to help you,
Comfort, strengthen, and keep you;
He is willing to aid you,
He will carry you thru. —H.R. Palmer