The rewards of wise choices are eternal

by Kirk Giles

[A couple years ago] I was flying between cities for a variety of Promise Keepers related activities. On one flight, I was in my seat waiting for everyone to board the plane. A very attractive young lady came walking down the aisle and I hoped beyond hope that she would not sit in the seat next to me.

Normally, I try to avoid talking to people on an airplane; it is kind of a personal space for me to zone out from the world. I accomplish this by plugging my headphones into the seat and watching a movie or listening to some music. Unfortunately, on this flight, there was no TV or music to be found. To make matters worse, this woman opened up her magazine and started to read to me about men who cheat on their spouses and speak about it in rather glowing terms.

There I was—caught between two worlds. I was facing the reality of temptation staring me in the face. On the other hand, I also knew who I am in Christ, and the beautiful, godly woman He has blessed me with as my wife. I am convinced that men who follow Jesus are often caught between two worlds. We are faced with a variety of temptations every day. We face temptations around the world’s definition of what is important, and temptations to live in despair because of the current state of affairs in the world. In contrast, Jesus calls us to something different, something that lasts beyond this world and a life of peace and joy. We feel the tug of war.

In 1 Corinthians 10:13 we read: “But remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can’t stand up against it. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it” (NLT). What a promise! As you and I feel caught between two worlds, we can always remember the faithfulness of God, especially His promise that He never allows temptation to go beyond what we can handle and that there is always a way of escape.

In my situation, the way of escape was to start talking about my wife and my role in ministering to men across Canada. The conversation quickly changed away from where she wanted it to go, and moved towards how God can change a man’s life.

To every man who is reading this and who feels caught between two worlds, I want to encourage you. Stay faithful to Jesus. You are not alone in the battle, and you are not alone in choosing His ways. The consequences of poor decisions can be disastrous, but the rewards of wise choices are eternal. One day, you will hear the words “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Kirk Giles is president of Promise Keepers Canada. He and Shannon have been married for 17 years. They are the parents of four children, ages 8–15.

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The article above was featured in the November 2009 issue of SEVEN magazine.

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