Three of us were walking along a pathway. One, a visitor to the area, pointed to a large white flower that resembled a lily. “That’s a pretty flower,” she said, “what is it?” The other friend, a native of the area, quickly answered, “That’s not a flower, it’s a terrible weed.” She then went on to explain that the vine producing this lovely bloom was deadly to other plants around it. As the vine grew, it wrapped itself around other vegetation nearby, eventually choking the life out of any other plants. My first friend replied, “Well, I think it’s pretty anyway.”
This conversation made me think of my life. There have been things I allowed into my life because they looked good on the surface. How could it be bad when it looked so attractive? Once allowed to take root, the blossom distracted me from the fact that it was slowly choking the good and positive things in my life. This happened so gradually that I was completely unaware. One day I realized that I was ensnared in a way I had never thought possible.
Fighting to be free was not easy, nor was it a onetime fix. Temptation is always there and is usually clothed in something attractive so I won’t recognize it. The safest thing for me to do is to pray about every situation. Jesus sees the whole picture and can guide me safely through the dangers.
Other seed fell among the thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Luke 7:7 NIV