Moth To Flame Syndrome
By: Kristen L. McNulty
Reprint rights available on request. Email the author at kristenmcnulty@hotmail.com.
If you’ve ever been outside on a dark summer night and looked to a nearby source of light, whether it’s a street light or car headlights or solar lantern, chances are you’ve noticed the presence of moths. Moths are funny creatures that are uniquely drawn to light in the dark of the night, but there is a problem with what moths are drawn to. Which is the same problem you and I find ourselves facing with the things that draw our attention: and that is, sometimes what pulls us in is the same thing that destroys us.
Drawn Like A Moth To A Flame
The same light that attracts moths can kill them if said light is a flame or a car headlight zooming by at 60 miles an hour. And the problem is, the moth doesn’t realize the danger until it is already too late. Thus for generations the saying of being "drawn like a moth to a flame" has been passed down to warn us that the very things that attract us can destroy us. We might not take a flight straight into a literal fire that burns us, but how often do we not know the thing that attracts us is the same thing that destroys us until it’s already too late?
This truth applies to relationships. When the same person who attracted you is the one who leads you astray or hurts you deeply.
The same truth applies to the things of this world like wealth that can pull us in but also take us under.
It applies to decisions. When the easier and more appealing choice is the same choice that can lead us down a path to destruction.
It especially applies to sin, which can pull us in before it quickly consumes and destroys everything in our lives.
Standing On Guard
The Bible repeatedly warns us about the hidden dangers that can creep into the life of even a believer and have devastating consequences. That said, none of us can think we are beyond the reach of what I call a moth to the flame syndrome. Where we stand strong against obvious temptations, but allow ourselves to be oblivious to the not so obvious temptations and get drawn in, not realizing we are about to be damaged or destroyed until it's almost too late. That said, we always need to be standing on guard against any and every sin and all evil!
1 Peter 5:8-9 gives us this very warning.
"Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are." 1 Peter 5:8-9
And then in Ephesians 6:10-12 we are told:
"A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:10-12
You Will Be Able To Stand Firm
This verse in Ephesians encourages me because it doesn't say "put on all of God's armor so that you might be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil". No it says "you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil". This means you and I can stand firm against both the obvious temptations and the not so obvious temptations. It means when God sends us out in the world He doesn't send us unequipped and unprotected. His armor can carry us through the battle to the other side, still standing undefeated. So what is God's armor? Let's go back to Ephesians 6, starting at verse 13 where it reads:
"Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." Ephesians 6:13-17
Allowing God To Equip and Protect Us
When we do this, when we allow God to equip us and protect us in the battle, not only do we have what we need to not cave into temptation, but we have the discernment we need to not get drawn into danger like a moth to a flame. Instead we can learn to recognize evil for what it is and stop ourselves in our tracks when sin tries to draw us in, long before we are within reach of its destructive grip.
"If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure." 1 Corinthians 10:12-13
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