Defiance Personified

"Nor let us temp Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer."
I Corintians 10: 9 – 10 NKJV

Defiance comes in many forms. Ask a parent about a two-year-old that pushes the limit. A child’s natural curiosity lacks the wisdom to discern the difference between right and wrong. Except after many requests not to touch a certain object, a child learns quickly about a parent’s request. Several years ago, I watched a young guest in our house response to a request not to touch.

Jesse walked around the coffee table in my family room. Every few minutes, he looked at his mother. Back and forth, the stares between the son and mother still tempted Jessie to touch the glass vase on my coffee table. Slowly, slowly Jesse’s two-year-old hand reached towards my vase. Back and forth, back and forth, he stared at his mother and the glass vase. After the mother rose from her comfortable chair to address Jesse’s defiance, he withdrew his hand from the vase. Around the coffee table and back to the temptation, Jessie stared at his mother. Slowly, slowly Jesse’s hand reached for the glass vase. About a quarter of an inch from the vase, Jesse’s hand stopped. Even though Jesse didn’t touch the vase, his defiance accomplished the task. Even though the hand didn’t touch the glass, in defiance Jessie mind tempted his mother to react.

Often you and I skirt around a request to don’t touch. The closer we get to the temptation the more exciting is the conquest. Often in ignorance, you and I tempt Christ to react to our inward defiance. Jesse understood the message not to touch. He understood that tempting his mother to react disrupted her peace and joy. Defiance involves more than our actions. It involves our attitude. So, beware that you don’t tempt Christ to react to your defiant attitude.

Copyright 2008 Patricia Charlton