And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death. [James 1:13-15 (NLT)]

Sometimes we can spot sin easily. It’s a bit like a thistle. With its spiny leaves, we know we don’t want to touch it and we certainly don’t want it in our gardens. Sometimes sin is well concealed, like stinging nettle that easily blends into the foliage. Once we brush up against it, we get stung and step back quickly. Because we don’t want to touch it again, we stay on the lookout for it.

Sometimes, however, sin doesn’t announce itself so readily. In fact, it is downright deceitful. Sin can look quite enticing, like the beautiful purple loosestrife flower that tempts us to plant it in our gardens. Unfortunately, as lovely as it is, this plant should be destroyed, not planted. It is invasive; it endangers native plants, disrupts water flow and, by putting wetlands at risk, even jeopardizes wildlife. Worse, because it can produce over 2 million seeds in a season, the plant spreads quickly, rapidly ruining more wetlands. Sin can be just as alluring, just as invasive, and spread just as quickly. It’s not until we’ve planted it in our lives that we realize the damage it has done, not just to the garden of our lives but to the gardens of those around us.