Temptation of Jesus 2

In the second temptation, Jesus imagines himself stood upon a mountain from which the whole civilised world could be seen. The tempter said, "Worship me, and all will be yours." This is the temptation to compromise. The devil said, "I have got people in my grip. Don't set your standards so high. Strike a bargain with me. Just compromise a little with evil and men will follow you." Back came Jesus' answer, "God is God, right is right and wrong is wrong. There can be no compromise in the war on evil." Once again Jesus quotes scripture ( Deuteronomy 6:13 ; Deuteronomy 10:1-22 ; Deuteronomy 20:1-20 ).

It is a constant temptation to seek to win people by compromising with the standards of the world. G. K. Chesterton said that the tendency of the world is to see things in terms of an indeterminate grey; but the duty of the Christian is to see things in terms of black and white. 

Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “Temptations which accompany the working day will be conquered on the basis of the morning breakthrough to God. Decisions, demanded by work, become easier and simpler where they are made not in the fear of men, but only in the sight of God. He wants to give us today the power which we need for our work.”

A scene from Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress portrays Interpreter bringing Christian to a wall where fire is blazing from a grate.  A man is trying to douse the fire with water. Then Interpreter shows Christian the other side of the wall, where another man is secretly pouring oil on the fire to keep it ablaze. Interpreter says, "You saw the man standing behind the wall to maintain the fire, teaching you that it is hard for the tempted to see how this work of grace is maintained in the soul." Satan tries to quench faith, but Christ keeps it alive.

Lord, I am assailed
from within and without;
self-doubt and loathing,
disrespect and insult.
The world closes in,
swamps
and would consume me.
I am sinking
yet will not drown.
For you endured all this
and much more,
beaten, hated
scourged and whipped,
humiliated and killed,
yet rising victorious,
to demonstrate the paradox
of strength through weakness,
love conquering all.
I am weak
but through the grace of Christ
I am strong
and together
we shall overcome.