Part 4, Chapter 8
Driving in a car with kids can be an experience. “Are we there yet?” “I have to go to the bathroom.” “Joe touched me.” “I’m not touching you.” The trip can feel like it is dragging and going on for hours (and maybe it is). What should have been a two hour trip becomes a four hour trip. There are many annoyances, but these are minor. Still, how we deal with them, helps us to deal with bigger annoyances when they come.
We all have minor temptations. They happen day in and day out, 24/7. We need to learn to deal with the minor temptations well. They prepare us for dealing with the bigger ones. “For although the greater temptations exceed in power, there are so infinitely more in number of little temptations that a victory over them is fully as important as over the greater but rarer ones” (Introduction to the Devout Life, 169). If we can learn to deal with minor temptations better, we will have an easier time dealing with great and horrible temptations. “So, while awaiting and making ready for a steadfast and brave resistance to great temptations should they come, let us not fail diligently to fight against these meaner, weaker foes” (Introduction to the Devout Life, 169). All temptations should be fought off, no matter how great or small they appear.
It is much easy to deal with a minor temptation before it becomes a great temptation. Think about it this way, let’s say that our car’s brakes went out, there is a difference in getting it to stop at 2 MPH compared to 200 MPH. So often are minor temptations are like stopping the car at 2 MPH. And the major temptations are like stopping a car at 200 MPH. But if we had dealt better with stopping when it was a minor temptation, it would not have become a major temptation which is difficult to stop. The minors help us to deal with the majors when they come.