Temptations

I was looking through all the old blog post I have that I never finished/posted, and I found this one. I wrote this post last May, and I have no clue why I never posted it... I thought I would post it, and I didn't change anything from the way it was a year ago. :)

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Right now, [one] of the books I am reading is The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien. It is one of my favorite books ever, and this is the 7th or 8th time I have read it since I was 11. I just love it! I just now realized that my title for this post has a double meaning: I am always tempted to read LotRs and other similar books during the school year so I can concentrate more on schoolwork, but I have obviously been failing! (You only need to look at the list of books I read last fall to see why:) Anyway, that is not why I am calling this post that, but it is another very good reason. I am calling it "Temptations" because of a quote I found a few minutes ago while reading. One of the characters (Frodo) is talking to another character (Strider) about the enemy and his spies and servants. He says "I think one of his spies would--well, seem fairer and feel fouler, if you understand." I like how he says "Seem fairer and feel fouler". It is exactly how Satan works, he makes things seem "fair" or desirable, but he can't totally cover up the fact that they feel "foul" or wrong. You could compare it to candy. (not necessarily Satan and candy, but just as an example) Imagine you are walking through your house on a normal afternoon, and there on the table in front of you is-your favorite kind of candy ever. Be it Skittles, Snickers, Jelly Beans, what ever is your favorite. It is up for grabs, and you see it and it looks "fair"; as in you really, really, really want to take and eat it. But, if you really think about it, you might remember all of the sugar and food coloring and other bad stuff in it. It might feel rather "foul" to your mind if you think about it and all of the bad things in it, no matter how good it looks. After the part I shared from the book, it continues with the other character saying "I look foul and feel fair. Is that it?" For this, you could make a comparison between candy and "green" green smoothies. I won't call green smoothies "foul, because there not, but I must say that when they are literally "green" green smoothies, the candy looks a lot better. But once again, green smoothies don't always look to gorgeous on the outside, but you know that in side them there is "fair" or good things. I am certainly not saying don't eat candy, I love candy, but maybe next time you are making decision about something like this you can decide whether whatever it is is "foul or fair" on the inside, not on the outside.