Scent of a Woman

Al Pacino played a very memorable character in the movie "Scent of a Woman". Perhaps I am dating myself slightly by mentioning this movie, but in the film a blind ex-military officer finds a reason to keep living in the friendship of a young college student. The college student with a blue collar heritage finds the courage to stand up in the face of adversity, peer pressure, and inequality at an ivy league school. The movie culminates into a courtroom style hearing where the young man is standing trial for not revealing the names of three pranksters who offended one of the schools officials. In the pivotal moment, Al Pacino's character speaks in defense of the young man's honor compared to his own saying, "Now, have come to the crossroads in my life. I always knew what the right path was. Without exception, I knew, but I never took it. You know why? It was too damned hard."


Most of the time we know what the right and wrong thing to do is, but as Pacino points out, taking the wrong path is so much easier. It's more comfortable or convenient at the time. It puts more money in your pocket. It keeps people from being angry at you. Sometimes, it keeps you from being hurt or even killed. I don't think anyone has any confusion as to why temptation is so hard to resist, but it is very important that we do.

Each step that we take away from God by giving into temptation adds a little bit more wickedness to our lives. Sometimes it is such a small amount that we don't even give it a second thought, but it adds up. In Matthew 24, Jesus answers his disciples questions about how they could recognize the end-times nearing, and he gives them a very clear picture of how this culminates into the destruction of the world as we know it.

"Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. " Matthew 24:12 -13

Stand firm - Sounds a lot like encouraging drug addicts to just quit, like telling the abused wife to just deal with it, like telling the unemployed father to just pull up his boot straps. It's harder than it sounds, but what's key in this passage is two things: First, this is the first speech where Jesus openly admits he is the Christ messiah that was prophesied. This isn't a conservative suburbanite showing up at a halfway house peddling sunshine and telling you to be strong. This is the savior of the world who died for our sins telling you not only will it be hard now, it's going to get worse. It's going to get worse, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The second thing this passage promises is that if you stand firm, you will be saved with an eternal existence in God's holy presence.

You've spent some time thinking about what tempts you and how it makes you feel. Now spend some time thinking about standing firm and what that will look like, what that will feel like, and how it will sound. When boxers have to face a tough opponent, they practice before hand. When a singer must perform in front of a large audience, she rehearses prior to the show. In your quiet time with the Lord, ask him to give you a clear picture of what standing firm will look like, and practice doing so. If you fail, treat it like any sin and confess it, ask forgiveness, and then accept that grace from your Father in heaven. Then, continue to work towards a firm stand against temptation by trusting in God and remembering that having the chance to be with him is why you're resisting temptation in the first place.

Todays Prayer:

Lord, God almighty, thank you for your Word. Let it speak to us, Father, and make our paths straight. Give us a clear map to follow to reach the destinations where You want us and then help us mirror Your glory for those we might help. Lord, help us to stand firm when confronted with temptation and give us the wisdom to recognize when those moments occur. Help us to rehearse these situations in Your presence so that we can make You proud when they happen. We love you, Father, and ask these things in the name of your son Jesus.

Amen.