Self-controlled and Alert!

"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." -First Peter 5:18 

I went through this passage with the kids yesterday morning. The focus was on self-control. There had been numerous yelling outbursts from children the day before. Together we defined self-control. We came up with:

When we choose to do good instead of bad without mom or dad telling us.

I was impressed with the accuracy of this definition offered up by our children. Now, applying this truth is the hard part, but my wife tells me that our children showed marked improvement that day. That evening for supper, we practiced self-control at the kitchen table. We summed up the main expectation mom and dad have at the table is, respect. So we practiced showing mutual respect (something I read out of Crucial Conversations that day) by being self-controlled. It went well.

After supper I read Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers to the children. We were on Chapter 10: The Voice of Saruman. After reading a lengthy paragraph where J.R.R. Tolkien is describing the ill effects of Saruman's voice, I thought of a parallel to the Devil. His talk seems pleasant and wise, but it is full of lies. Tolkien describes how someone would have to be very alert in order to think for himself as Saruman is talking, otherwise, they would be overcome by his will and under his spell.

I mentioned the First Peter passage from our morning devotion, and how we need to be self-controlled and alert. Why alert? I also shared the following passage with the children, where Jesus is describing the Devil:
...for he is a liar, and the father of lies.

We talked about how God wants us to be alert, looking for things that are not right, not just going with what everyone else is doing. The Devil is constantly feeding us lies. Be alert! Be grounded in the truth of God's word. A lot of things sound good, but lead to destruction.

Then, during our Advent Day by Day devotional, we read of Jesus being tempted by the Devil for 40 days in the wilderness. I asked the children, "Can you imagine having to listen to Saruman's voice for 40 days without food?" I think it was a powerful point that God had aligned for our benefit.

Thank you Lord, for your gracious word of truth. Help us be self-controlled and alert. Amen.