TEMPTATION CLAUSE

         The Lord’s Prayer suggests that we can be lead into temptation, so the question is: Would God lead us into temptation? Having been taught and shown again and again that God is the giver of only good; God’s love for us greater than a parents love for their child, how could He? Since Living on the Spiritual Basis removes gray areas and contradictions from life, what does this clause really mean?

       Having embraced the Lord’s Prayer the straightforward temptations of lying, cheating, stealing, etc have become obvious and the price paid in serenity if we transgress clear. Having demonstrated over these temptations, the new temptations that beckon us are born of spiritual pride. The natural desire is to bring the good news we have learned to those still suffering, a noble desire to be sure, but fraught with this new kind of danger. Write this upon your heart in capital letters: DO NOT ANSWER THE UNASKED QUESTION.  This is the temptation we are asking God in the Great Prayer to lead us away from. When speaking about spiritual principles we must ask ourselves if we are engaging in attraction or promotion. We will attract those who are ready to learn by our actions, our demonstration of Living on the Spiritual Basis. If we have to sell it, promote it; convince others that they should want what we have, than there is something wrong with our spiritual house. Attraction is the true path; promotion opens the door to the temptations of self glory, self aggrandizement, a sense of superiority and infallibility which are all aspects of spiritual pride. When you consider how many evils have been and are perpetrated by those promoting their beliefs to the extreme, the clause “lead us not into temptation” becomes crystal clear. We must remain ever diligent, and though it may break our heart, we never enter unbidden into another’s spiritual house.

     The converse is true as well. We must be willing to stand and be counted regardless of any perceived earthly consequences, the temptation of self centered fear denied. Whenever or wherever we are presented with an opportunity to share the Good News, the question asked, we must not shrink.