"I Thought They Were Lollipops!"

Brian R. Kenyon

In preparation for my first mission trip to Africa, I had to go to the health clinic to be vaccinated. At the reception desk, I noticed a box on the counter with a sign that said "Free." In the box were small, brightly colored, flat, square packages with something circular inside. I immediately thought how nice, free lollipops. When I grabbed what I thought was going to be a sweet snack, I discovered that they were condoms! I do not know what surprised me the most: the fact that they were so deceptively packaged or that they were free for anybody who walked to the counter!

As I recovered from the initial shock, I thought how ironic: sin is similarly packaged. Sin is attractive (Gen. 3:6), seems so innocent (2 Pet. 2:19), and offers "pleasures...for a season" (Heb. 11:25). Sin is also just as available as those (what I thought were) lollipops. The devil wants to hunt us down (1 Pet. 5:8), and draw us away from God (2 Cor. 11:3; Jas. 1:13-15). Let us not be deceived, "Neither give place to the devil" (Eph. 4:27).