What is your kryptonite?

If you didn’t grow up watching “Superman”, you have no idea what I am talking about.  Kryptonite was the one thing that would weaken Superman’s powers.

I may not have superpowers but I know there are certain things I try to avoid because it isn’t what is best for me.

For my husband, it is sweets.  For me, it is chips.  When they were in my pantry, I would look forward to eating my little fried tortilla chip flavored with hot chili pepper and lime…every single day.   I remember telling my sister that I felt like I couldn’t stop eating them and she made this simple suggestion… “Well, why don’t you stop buying them?”

Uh, yeah.  I guess that’s one way to handle it.

For the past couple of weeks, our Vice President, Mike Pence, has been in the news…and not necessarily for something related to politics.  Instead, it was regarding his choice of dinner companions.  

Since 2002, he has chosen not to dine alone with a woman other than his wife and he does not attend events if alcohol is served and she is not there with him.

What was once a private decision has become a very public debate. People can’t stop talking about it.  And he is being criticized for it.

Kryptonite comes in all shapes and sizes.

In Judges 8, we read about the story of Gideon.  You may remember him as the fearful wheat-thresher turned mighty warrior.  In this passage, he chooses to make an ephod (gold vest) which is something worn by the high priest.  His reasons for making it are not clear and commentaries disagree on whether it was a good or bad thing. 

Well, the worst case scenario happened –  “…All Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family.”  Other translations called this ephod a “trap”.

Gideon seemed to be able to handle the ephod initially…but then, it BECAME the downfall not just for him, but all of Israel. 

Maybe your kryptonite isn’t Girl Scout cookies, chips or a priestly gold vest.  In reality, sometimes you don’t know what your weakness is until you come in contact with it…isn’t that how people discover they have certain allergies?  And at that point, it may be too late.

What if Adam & Eve had just stayed on the outskirts of the garden instead of hanging out by the one forbidden tree?  For Achan – what if he had just looked away instead of setting his eyes on the plunder that was not meant to be his?  

For those of us who are married – what steps do we need to take to safeguard our marriage?

This isn’t about fear, a lack of trust or controlling your spouse.  It is about understanding that while some things may be “permissible”, it may not be “beneficial”.  It is about using wisdom in situations that may initially look okay but could lead you down a path you never intended to take.

Proceed with caution…and watch out for that kryptonite.

Proverbs 24:3 (NLT) A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense.

~Anu