It wasn’t too many days after our son’s wedding that the “kids” visited and remarked they saw some unwanted insects in what we call the Florida room. We set traps and in a few days with different strategies were able to rid ourselves of 90% of the varmints.

My husband remembered when we lived in Upstate NY and mosquitos were an issue, we had a bug zapper. Apparently that survived our moves and my husband even knew where it was located. He hooked it up and the remaining guests are not bothering us anymore.

Hearing the zapper go off reminds me of, well, me.

Not that I want to be an annoying insect taking residence where I don’t belong, but the zapper reminds me of temptation and my reaction to it.

Temptation is like that bright light in the zapper. Oh, it’s pretty. It sure is inviting. I’ve seen it play out when married couples change their boundaries and suddenly an affair is in the works. The initial look is alluring, especially if you’re frustrated at home.

But that light doesn’t tell the insects that it’s so much more than pretty. It’s a touch of death.

Just like sin.

What people forget about sin is the long term consequences. The defeated one only wants you to consider the fun part. The high you get from sneaking around, cheating on taxes, gossiping about someone who mistreated you. He conveniently doesn’t tell you the shame and guilt that follows. If you’re caught, a family will implode and your reputation is ruined. You might lose a ministry. Depending on your choice, you could land in jail.

—Julie Arduini

Zap, zap, zappity-zap.

I’m sure there are insects who see that bright light and check it out, but for some reason, don’t engage. For them, they have another day to fly free, and I bet that feels great. If you’ve said no to sin, you know how good that feels knowing you made the right choice. The peace that passes all understanding.

God gives us the strength to avoid the zapper. I’d love to write that I listen to the Holy Spirit and avoid that “ah, ah, ah, Julie, you really don’t want to do that” nudge, but I have at times flown straight to the zapper and ignored the warnings. A lie, a gossip session, a gluttony partake, that’s off the top of my head. Remember, sin is sin to God. Someone’s murder is my gossip, and we all fly into the zapper.

What’s amazing and separates us from pesky insects is the hope Christ gives. He died for our sinful choices and if we invite Him into our lives, we’ll never have to see the death sizzle from the zapper. Sure, we’re human and consequences remain. But I know where my eternity destination address is. It doesn’t give me a license to sin, but it gives me anticipation. I long to be where Jesus lives, and I look forward to learning all about those temptations and heaven’s insight into them.

For now, I plan to vacuum the Florida room and think about the bug zapper and my choices.

How about you?