Temptations

Many people look at temptations as a bad thing. For the most part I will agree. However, if a person has never experienced temptations, then how will she recognize what a temptation is once she is out from under her parents' wings?

Someone once told me that she would never let a young lady be alone with a guy, ever, because the temptation is too great. My opinion is if we raise our children with such a shelter that they are not allowed to feel the temptation, how are we adequately preparing them to raise their own children? They need to be able to know what the temptations feel like and be able to explain to their own children down the road what the temptations feel like so that they can respond correctly to each one.

Another temptation is alcohol. Some will say to not drink a single drop, ever. There's a saying something to the effect of, those who have never tasted a drop of it will go crazy with it the minute they get their hands on it. In moderation I do not believe alcohol is bad, just like food in moderation is not bad. It is in excess that both are considered sins. We must not so protect our children that the minute they are free they will go get everything we never allowed them to have. I am by no means encouraging to let minors have alcohol, not at all, but I am encouraging to thing before we speak on how "awful" something is.

Another person once told me that we should never encourage others in temptation. For example, if we were to own a B&B, we should not let un-married couples stay in our B&B, nor should we grow tobacco. I stated then we shouldn't grow food because food is a drug to some just as tobacco is to others. She didn't quite see it that way and argued that food is not a sin. Does the Bible not state that over-eating (gluttony) is a sin? It is NOT the responsbility of business owners to prevent temptations from coming to our children!! It is our responsibility as mothers, aunts, future mothers, etc., to teach our children what a temptation is and how to handle it!

A person must know their own limits. Each one of us has different temptations and different limits. If we allow a temptation to overtake us then that is our fault and we must repent. But if we are not allowed to even feel tempted because we were protected or we protect ourselves/our children from temptations, how will any of us realize what temptation feels like? If we do not know what temptation is then how will we say no to it?

Blessings in Christ,