The other day I was getting gas and as I pumped it I actually looked at the sign board right above the tank.  It had a big “SAVE NOW” on it, followed by this blurb “Save $.10 per gallon!  Simply buy 4 of these (pictures of snacks and bottled drinks) for $4.50 and get 10 cents off every gallon!”  Because I was still pumping, I took a minute to do some quick math.  The average tank size is around 16 gallons, so saving ten cents a gallon would net you $1.60.  BUT!  You just spent $4.50 to save that!  In other words, while you did gain snacks and/or drinks, you actually LOST $2.90 on a 10 gallon purchase!  What the gas station is counting on is customers that are tired, hungry, in a hurry, with or without kids who are the same.  In other words, customers who are too distracted by other things to care about the validity of the offer. Things of no real value will temporarily solve a hunger issue (snacks) or energy need (caffeine drinks) in the heat of the moment, and seem entirely reasonable to purchase in return for the “reward”.

As I was reading this and congratulating myself for having figured out what a scam this was, I distinctly heard the Lord speaking to my heart, and here’s what He said:  don’t pat yourself on the back too soon!  And I immediately understood what He meant.  I might have escaped this scam, but I am not always that successful in the spiritual realm… and knowone knows that better than God Himself.

If you look at this event from a spiritual standpoint, you will see the exact design our enemy uses.  He loves to catch us in moments of weakness – when we’re tired, or hungry, or distracted, or discouraged.  The  He makes us an unbelievable offer.  “For just the cost of one lunch date a week, you can go to lunch with your opposite sex coworker, flirt, and feel good about yourself again!  Just one hour!”  Or, there’s “For just the cost of one bottle of ______ you can take the edge off your stress and be yourself again!” Or how about “For just the cost of Sunday morning church, you can work every Saturday, make tons of money, and still have a day all to yourself!”

The examples like this can go on forever, but I think the point is obvious..satan will never stop scheming to destroy us and our families by offering something SO good for more than we really meant to pay!  It’s only when the lives are ruined, the families torn apart, and financial gains are not realized that we stop and do the math, and realize what we fell for.

So how do we respond, including me?  Like this..when the offer is there, and you’re mentally not (tired, hungry, etc) just stop.  Stop and say no and move on, or just stop, think it through,and then SEE what’s really on the line!  Then God can move in, direct our steps, and keep us in His will..and we will live lives that glorify Him!