Avoiding and Resisting Temptations 539.3
When my daughter Samara was four, I showed her a delicate glass vase and told her it was my mother’s. I instructed her to "never, never touch it." Without hesitation she said, "Then you should never, never put it where I can reach it."
Her remark reminded me of an Oscar Wilde quote: "I can resist anything but temptation." Samara understood the power of temptation and shifted the responsibility to me. If I wanted the vase safe, keep it out of her path.
Unfortunately, we can’t always count on others to protect us from our weaker selves. In fact, lots of people will find advantage or comfort if we give in to temptation.
One way to protect ourselves is to build our moral willpower, the strength to overcome temptation, however strong. We do this by practice. As Emerson said, "We gain the strength of the temptation we resist."
Another is to consciously avoid tempting situations. As Mark Twain said, "It’s easier to stay out than to get out."
Even people of strong character can succumb to temptation at weak moments. So it’s reckless and arrogant to knowingly subject ourselves to avoidable seductive forces.
They say temptation usually comes in through a door that’s been deliberately left open, so beware of the tendency to unconsciously invite temptations.
If you’re on a diet, don’t let them bring out the dessert tray. If you’re on a tight budget, don’t window-shop, and leave your credit card at home. And if you’re committed to celibacy or fidelity, don’t get near situations where your resolve could be tested.
This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.
Comments
Ah, the words of my mother from the mouth of another. My mom gave me the same wise advice as I was growing up. It's good to have it reinforced. Thank you!
Posted by: Michelle Otis | November 9, 2007 7:58 AM
Michael:
Are you in the recycling business ?
Recently, I have come across your commentaries that are reruns of ones you did earlier. What gives?
I signed on to learn new things from you every day :)..while it is important to reiterate some things but I see a pattern of reruns !!!
I enjoy your commentaries and would love to read new ones.
Thank you.
Maneck
Posted by: Maneck | November 9, 2007 12:28 PM
It is amazing how I found so many points in this article that they somehow resonated with my own beliefs and values.
Thank you for reinforcement.
MHM
Posted by: MAHENDRA MEHTA | November 10, 2007 11:44 AM
Sad thing about our society is that we are ready to judge people who give into temptation where we should be ready to admire people who do not. I think our society's attention and energy should be shifted to appreciating people who avoid temptations (I am talking about the big ones. I.e., sleeping with a married person) rather than punishing people who give in. We have to learn to have compassion for weak and appreaciation for strong. We truly do not know why people give into their weaknesses.
Posted by: Rosa N. Fagerian | November 11, 2007 2:58 PM
Dear Maneck,
First, let me state forthrightly and unapologetically that I do indeed recycle some commentaries.
I appreciate your kind words about my commentaries and your respectfully expressed desire to read new ones.
There are two reasons you will see certain commentaries again (usually, the recycled ones are at least a year old).
Number one: After more than ten years of doing daily commentaries, I have a huge inventory of essays including some I think are worthy of replaying for audiences who never heard them or find the reminder valuable.
Our list of subscribers changes regularly and has grown to nearly 80,000. Thus, for many subscribers, some of my favorites like this week's "Cowboy Code" and "We Expect More From Adults" are new.
Number two: I confess that my obligations as a father of four young children who need and deserve a great deal of attention, family vacations, business trips for the Institute, and sadly, just plain fatigue (I rarely get to writing a commentary before midnight) have ocasionally conflicted with my desire to write fresh and new essays every day (on average, it takes me between 2-3 hours for each commentary).
I hope you can understand and support this practice.
Sincerely,
Michael Josephson
Posted by: Michael Josephson | November 14, 2007 9:59 PM
It was Halloween Day, and my students were doing all sorts of Halloween-type activities to celebrate the day—all educational, of course! After our treats of juice and cupcakes and candy—(it’s STILL Halloween, after all!)—I passed out something from my childhood: orange UNICEF boxes. Thinking of children around the world that have
very little, I had shared my wish with them earlier in the week—that they would gather spare change when they were going trick-or-treating, or to check under the sofa cushions and car seats to support this worthy organization. So on the sunny Halloween afternoon, you could tell they were anxious to put them together. Unfortunately,I ended up being one short—only one, but still not everyone got one on that day! My one student volunteered to be the one without the UNICEF box---and I promised her that I would get one from the store where I got the other 28 that Halloween evening.
But by the time I got home, it was well after 7:00, and I was SO tired! I am embarrassed to admit that it crossed my mind to just tell my student the next day that they were out of boxes—and that I was sorry that she had been the one who lost out! And, she would have believed me! But then, I remembered the saying that we have been telling the kids all the time-having character means doing the right thing even when no one is looking. So, I went back to the store. Luckily, there were a couple left. I took one, and placed it one top of her desk that next morning.
My students collected $69.60 for UNICEF this year. I was so proud of their hard work in thinking of children who have so little, when we in this country have so very much! But I learned even a bigger lesson from my kids---Character Counts for
adults, as well as kids, even when THEY aren’t looking, or would never know the difference!
Carole Lynn Anderson
Sequoia Elementary School
Shafter, CA 93263
661-588-5486--home
661-746-8740--work
Posted by: Carole Lynn Anderson | November 23, 2007 11:35 AM