When I was a teenager, I needed to know how much a competitor was concerned about me, even though he always tried to overcome me in class work. Her desire to be on top of all class matters was not actually the result of her hatred towards me, although she always tried to defy her desire to be the most outstanding student.
The day I decided to pose some questions, I discovered a serious weakness on his part: the desire to be noticed. Flirting may be the word, however, this flirtatious behavior left a mark of disapproval on her person. I quickly seized that opportunity to launch an attack on her and it paid off. She quickly gave in and burned her fingers.
Each of us has a vulnerability like my competitor at school that satan is eager to exploit. It can be something additive like drugs or alcohol, or it can be something apparently harmless and perhaps even good such as food, friendship or work.
After His resurrection, Jesus asked Peter this personal and searching question: “Do you love me more than these?” (John 21:15). Many have speculated as to what Jesus meant by the word “these,” but it’s probably best that we don’t know. It allows each of us to personalize the question we ask ourselves, “what do I love more than Jesus?” Is it food, drink, drugs, etc.? What about those behaviors that are typical of a flirt?
It is no longer news to hear people tell us that satan hates us, what is news now is that he uses the things we love to tempt us. When satan discovers what you love more than God, he knows how to use it to manipulate you. The good news for everyone here is that Satan loses his hold on us the moment we delight in the Lord. The way people look at our lives is the same way the enemy of our souls (Satan) does. To be good representatives of Jesus Christ, the Bible tells us that we must be subject to authority, live an honorable life, do good works, honor all people, and fear God (1 Peter 2:11-17).
It is the testimony of our lives that gives us the opportunity to share the good news of Jesus. So we might ask ourselves, “What do people see in me?” Do they see Jesus or do they see a flirt in me?