"Someone has said only those who resist temptation
really understand the Power of Temptation.
Because Jesus resisted it perfectly,
He understood it Perfectly: hence, He can Help Us!
("Act In Doctrine," Pg 8)
I'd never fully comprehended that aspect of the Atonement before--that Christ experienced everything we had, that the only perfect person to ever walk the earth would actually understand or even been able to experience temptation. (Let's be honest, there is soooo much we still can learn about the Atonement! Here's proof!)
And Because He understands temptation, only He can help us resist it. He sees the pleasures of temptation. He sees why it's desirable. He sees that we want it. Maybe even sometimes why we think we need it.
But He also sees the pain. The aftermath of a bad choice. The heartbreak. The sorrow that comes with sin.
Even still, He is able to see the infinite beauty of the alternative--His Father's Plan!
When Satan tempted the Savior, I think we often like to think that it wasn't even a temptation to Him--that He was like:
"Psh--Satan, I don't need food, or angels to save me,
or all the shiny palaces or kingdoms of the world you're offering.
Worlds without number I have created, remember? Get thee Hence."
But...
Really, I want now to believe that it was. That is was a temptation.That the Christ was tempted. Not prove Him as some mere-mortal with frailties and as a maker of mistakes. But as a real, personal Savior who was able to Resist...
By so doing, proving to me that I can, with His help, do the same!
"Therefore, Character is demonstrated
by looking, turning, and reaching outward when the
instinctive reponse of the Natural Man (Mosiah 3:19)
in each of us is to turn inward and be self absorbed."
("Act in Doctrine," Pg 8)
Put off the Natural Man! Christ, the only perfect person, was still tempted! He chose His Father, over ALL things. And because He did, so can we! The Atonement is a Beautiful Thing!
Con amor,
Hermanita Holly Howell
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