Alluring letdowns

Our trip to British Columbia last month involved catching a few flights there and back. One of the flights began with the usual offer of in-flight entertainment: For $7.99 I’d have access to more than 100 TV channels and new-release movies on the little screen embedded in the seat ahead of mine. I saved my money and brought along something to read.

I found it interesting that the offer continued to appear on everyone’s screens the cabin during the entire flight. In fact, even as we were preparing to deplane, screens were still showing happy people inserting their credit card and watching TV. Apparently it’s never too late to purchase inflight entertainment – even if you’re only a couple minutes away from stepping into the airport terminal!

Seeing the invitation to purchase inflight entertainment after the flight was over reminded me a bit of sin. Sin is enticing: It promises quick happiness and pleasure outside of God’s will and design for the good life.

But succumbing to sin is like paying $7.99 to watch inflight TV after the plane has landed. I might get a minute or two of fun, but ultimately it’s a letdown. It always turns out that sin never comes through with what it promises. As attractive as the devil tries to make them look, immoral shortcuts to happiness, pleasure, cash, or status will ultimately prove to be empty. They’ll likely even be harmful to myself and my relationships with others.

Trusting God and pursuing His will, on the other hand, bring fulfillment. I pray that by focusing on God’s free gift of grace, I can see that the things sin offers – alluring as they may seem at first – are actually empty and about as worthless as purchasing inflight entertainment after the plane has landed.
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