A Sucker for Sin - Sharon Jaynes

I have often heard the phrase, “A picture paints a thousand words.” So today, instead of writing a thousand words, I’m just going to write a few. I’m going to let the picture do all the talking.

A friend of mine from El Paso, Texas,  gave me this sucker as a souvenir from her hometown. It was supposed to be a joke, but God used it to speak a thousand words to my heart.

In case you can’t tell exactly what it is, this is a sucker with a scorpion inside. To me, it is a picture of sin.

Sin isn’t a very popular word today. Webster defines it as an action contrary to the law of God. But we know from Jesus’ words that it doesn’t have to be an action. Sin can even be a thought.

James wrote this about temptation leading to sin leading to death:

 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. (James 1:13-15 ESV)

Lured and enticed by desire.

Desire conceived and gives birth to sin.

Sin full grown and full-blown brings death.

We see each of these three steps lived out in the life of Eve in Genesis 3, and the genesis of spiritual death. We see each of these three steps lived out every day.

So while sin might look like a yummy delicious candy sucker on the outside, when we get to the middle of it, or in the middle of it, we realize there is a scorpion of death waiting to sting.

Not a fun blog post today, but oh what a picture to remember. Can I hear an amen? Just leave a comment below.