Early one spring morning Julie said “good-bye” to her mother and started walking to school.
“Don’t go on the ice, Julie,” her mother called to her. “It’s not safe after that warm spell this week.”
Julie nodded her head and waved and hurried on her way. The road to school passed a small lake, and Julie could see several of her school friends sliding on the ice.
“Come on, Julie,” shouted one of her girl friends. But Julie remembered her mother’s warning and shook her head.
“Don’t be afraid: the ice won’t break,” yelled another girl. “If it holds us, it will hold you!”
This was the voice of the tempter, and if Julie had been wise she would not have listened but would have just gone on to school. Instead, to show that she was not afraid, she jumped on the ice and felt pretty brave for doing it.
Her triumph didn’t last for long. As she was showing off by sliding along in front of her friends, she did not notice the thin ice ahead. A moment later the ice broke underneath her, and Julie fell into the freezing water. Her cries for help brought three men who were working nearby, hurrying to her rescue. With great difficulty they got her out, but she was soaked and shivering with cold. They wrapped her in one of their overcoats and drove her home.
Julie will never forget that morning. She learned what unhappiness can come from listening to the tempter’s voice and disobeying her mother. Since then she has trusted the Lord Jesus as her Saviour; she now has a new life. She has power to overcome temptation and a desire to please her Saviour. Still, she often remembers that day in her childhood. It warns her that taking one step off the narrow pathway of obedience to the Lord, onto other paths which may seem pleasant, only ends in unhappiness and dishonor.
By making promises and by fear of what others will say, Satan tries to lead the sinner down to death and hell and the Christian to sorrow and shame. Be careful that he does not tempt you to be disobedient to God’s Word.
ML-04/17/1983