* Luis Alberto Alves
No one likes to be corrected, given an ear tug to get back on track and do the right thing. This is human nature. We are similar to children. They ignore the danger and when parents call their attention, they start crying or making fun.
The Christian has this kind of behavior. When attacked by the devil, he is not pleased to receive the correction of Jesus Christ. He catches our attention and pulls our ears because he knows what will happen to us bad if we continue on the bad path.
It is hard, but the "warning of God will lead us to Heaven, and the praise of Satan, in the form of sweetness, is right for hell."
Meditate on these two examples: 1) The Lord, through the Word, warns that it is not advisable to cultivate certain friendships or attend certain places. Both, from our point of view, look good and we retort saying that "it has nothing to do".
Take example 2: At school or college or work, the devil puts someone looking good to be your friend. It starts taking you to drug, drink and prostitution parties. Satan says that you are antisocial in refusing this friendship and that none of this will harm you. After all, God will command the angels to support you.
Did you pay attention to these two illustrations? In the first, the Lord warns, which in our view seems bad, as it may mean isolation or even leave us alone. We look on the downside, leaving behind the benefits that will bring us in the future. That is, the guarantee of entering Glory.
In the second, the devil sells the proposition that we need to be in environments where he encourages various kinds of addictions. It seems that he would be right in his convictions. However, the outcome will be tragic. The enemy will never show the consequences of choosing to accept his compliments, filled with false beauty, which is the right route to hell. So we better stick with the warnings of Jesus who will take us to eternity
* Luis Alberto Alves is a pastor
