Yesterday I approached our gate and saw a beautiful purple round flower on a tall stem. Purple is one of my favorite colors so it caught my eye. I passed it up because we had a full schedule. However, I love fresh flowers and every time I passed the gate, my eye went back to the flower.
Not long after the first couple of glances, I realized that the flower was beautiful but the leaves were thorny. We have a many thorny plants on the property and I had just removed a lot of it but none had a flower like this one.
Finally, as we prepared to leave, I paid closer attention and realized it was nettle thorn. Despite it's beautiful flower, I "whacked" the plant at the root and proceeded to pick it up. No where on the plant or flower could I touch without being stuck.
It reminded me of how the enemy often tempts us with things that are pleasing to the eye. Behind the most beautiful, sexy, wealthy, temptation [that is something that is forbidden] is a rope that leads to the enemy. The enemy will not tempt you with mediocre, he will tempt you with what grabs your eye for if he has your eye, then he will aim for your heart.
I found that there was no way I could pick up that flower, there was no way I could keep it in a vase, and there was no way I could have it. When I realized what it was, I also discovered that I did not want it.
There are many things in life that seem like they are good, or bring pleasure, or fulfill us for the moment but in reality, it is a facade for truth. The truth is that the only thing that will fill us to the fullest is Jesus Christ.
Don't be fooled by the surface. The enemy specializes in getting our attention by enticing us with the pleasing to the eye.
The woman said to the serpent "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, 'You must not eat from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it or you will die.'" Genesis 3:2-3
When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. Genesis 3:6
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