The Eiffel Tower

It was science day when I went to Kings Island last week and there were a lot of middle and high school students at the park. Each ride had a sign near the entrance with the scientific reason the ride worked the way it did.

Many (not all) of the students had notebooks with them to write down the information. I felt kind of bad for them…being at this great amusement park on a school day, and having to do school work!

I rode the elevator to the top of the Eiffel Tower. I do not like heights, so I didn’t get close to the edge, but I did want to go again to see the beauty from way up in the sky. On the deck, a Kings Island worker answered questions about the tower. Its height. The difference between it and the real Eiffel tower. How it was built and a few other interesting bits of information.

A couple of boys asked the worker if the tower moved at all. She proceeded to tell them that it did. It swayed back and forth. She also told them that if they held on to the bars at the edge of deck, they could feel the movement. They would be able to feel it sway.

After doing so, the boys declared, “We’re getting out of here!”

I know Satan works hard to keep me from following God’s commands. He tries to get me to justify my reasoning for doing something contrary to God’s Word. He works overtime to sway my opinion from God’s and when that happens, I fall into his trap.

There are a few verses in Scripture that speak to this topic. Let’s take a look at them.

Matthew 11:7-9 “As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: ‘What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.’”

John was a prophet of God who was not easily swayed by the opinions of those around him. He stuck to his message. The coming of the Messiah!

Matthew 22:15-16 “Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. ‘Teacher,’ they said, ‘we know you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are. Tell us then…’”

This passage could go on with any number of issues brought to Jesus, including healing on the Sabbath, what the greatest commandment was, or in this case, what to do about taxes.

Jesus was not swayed. He stuck to His message. He stuck to His mission. God’s plan to redeem mankind. I don’t know about you, but for that I am eternally grateful.

2 Timothy 3:6-7 reminds us, “They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth.”

This is the type of woman I never want to be. I know I’ve been guilty of this in the past, but now, with the power within me, I will not be easily swayed by my evil desire. I will stand firm in my faith. I will stand firm in my trust. I will stand firm in my knowledge of the truth that Jesus saves!

After walking around the tower deck, it wasn’t long before I too declared, “I’m getting out of here!” Not to anyone in particular and not even out loud, just to myself. I had accomplished a feat that although difficult, was fulfilling and satisfying. I’m thankful I pushed myself to this limit.

I am thankful for the examples of John and Jesus and for Paul’s words of encouragement to not be swayed. I pray that I am fully aware of the possibility of being swayed. Of all the sly elements Satan uses to pull me from my foundation. And when I feel like I’m heading in a direction I shouldn’t, I quickly say, “I’m getting out of here!”

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna