Temptation
For some reason, the runway bride story a few weeks back was a source of my rather twisted fascination and endless amusement. I know. You noticed. Perhaps that is because I am scared that I will never get married given how my dating life has fared lately, hence the warped sense of pleasure over a stranger's meltdown over a life event that seems out of my reach.
Maybe.
But it stopped being funny when I read the story about her past arrests and prosecution for shoplifting. Let me explain.
There is a myriad of temptations I wrestle with on a daily basis, but strangely, substance abuse and shoplifting are among the vices that I have never been tempted to commit.
The idea of consuming non-nutritional chemicals to alter my mind has never appealed to me, not necessarily because of deeply held morals, but rather because of the fear of losing control over my faculties. I take anti-cold pills as the absolute last resort if other measures such as resting fail. And never have I ever been tempted to take into possession something that I have not paid for. Software piracy and downloading music illegally are out of the question. Can't explain that one.
As strange as it may sound, I feel some guilt over not having been subject to such temptations which many are bombarded with and succumb to, ruining their lives in the process. Perhaps it amounts to something akin to "survivor guilt" which this site defines as "a phenomenon often experienced by those who escape from a disaster that seriously injures and kills others." Individuals dealing with this type of guilt are said to believe that they survived at the expense of those who didn't. Is the absence of temptation on my part at the expense of people like the runaway bride and chronic drug abusers?
There is no profound take to offer here other than my own observations. Now talk amongst yourselves. I will give you a topic: Rhode Island which is neither a road nor an island ... (or something like that. Does anyone remember the exact line? Dang, how I wish I could mimick that New York accent.)
posted by David Cho @ 5/24/2005
5 comments
5 Comments:
I'm glad I never had the desire to ingest such substances as well. The theft, however, has been a different story. I used to lift stuff all the time.
But, I've never felt guilty for not having the temptations to which others seem to easily succumb. I've felt empathy for them, but I figure that I've got some weaknesses that others don't. I've got enough on my plate, no need to pick up another issue out of guilt.
I think that, in any situation, we've been blessed, yes, blessed, with our own set of problems/weaknesses/temptations in order to help us remain humble.
I'm glad I make mistakes. They remind me that I'm human.
I have a guilt complex that never stops working and which causes much contemplation as to whether or not I REALLY want to do something.
As a teenager I would never even sneak out of the house at night...always had to go tell mom and dad that I was leaving. Drove my sister crazy. The good thing is that as long as they knew where I was, it usually wasn't a problem.
However, like Bronson I have plenty of my own weaknesses with which I must deal. They cause their own guilt and discomfort. Nothing like trying to make a weakness a strength in the end, but there is no better feeling than overcoming and conquering after all the sweat, pain and tears.
Like the first two comments, the list of my shortcomings goes on. Each of our identities is unique. Within that combination of genetic, psychological, and spiritual components is the distinct blending that results in the individual. The fact that we are fore-known by our Creator can be a very liberating force in our lives if we can only convince ourselves to hold on to that fact.
The under current of guilt affects some of us more than others. We are all guilty of something, it's all about being able to place it into perspective. Sin is sin. We are the only ones who have a rating system. The grace that Christ extends to us in forgiveness is equal to the task of any transgression.
Thanks for your comments. It is assuring to read that God does not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can handle.
I agree that we each have our own set of weaknesses for a reason. Each one is there to help us become the person that our Heavenly Father wants us to be (even though I often forget this concept when I am dealing with one of them!)
I have to say that I didn't really pay much attention to this story until I checked out that copy of People magazine from the library. Very interesting.
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