ITCHY, ITCHY

     Stella Peterson was going out of her mind and she, well, needed to do something so, she decided to go visit her best friend Bernadette Henderson. When she walked up to the door of Bernadette's house and started knocking on it instead of hearing a come in, she heard “Itchy, itchy, itchy.” and “Go away!” followed by another round of “Itchy, itchy, itchy.”

     “Bernadette,” Stella called out, “Is that you in there making those funny noises?” “No! Yes! I don't know.” Bernadette answered, “When I looked in the mirror this morning I didn’t look like me so I’m not sure who I am.” “Well, why don't you open the door and I'll tell you.” Stella said. “No!” Bernadette said, “I'm staying in here. Itchy, Itchy, Itchy.”

     “Come on, Bernadette.” Stella pleaded, “I'm your best friend. Why won't you open the door?” “It's all your brother's fault.” Bernadette replied, “Harold's the one that made me like this.” “Like what?” Stella demanded to know but the only reply she got was “Itchy, itchy, itchy.”

     “Just come on up here.” Stall demanded next, “It’s seems silly for me to talk to your front door.” “Then just go away.” Bernadette said, “I'm not opening the door, somebody might see me.” “But I'm the only one here.” Stella protested, “Now tell me what's wrong, why won't you open the door.” “I told you.” Bernadette replied, “It’s Harold’s fault.”

     “Alright,” Stella said, “What did Harold do?” “He made that silly potion to make people more like God.” Bernadette said. “Don’t tell me you drank some of it too.” Stella said, “It doesn't work.” “I thought it would keep me from being shy.” Bernadette told Stella, “And now I'm covered with freckles. Itchy, itchy, itchy.”

     “And that's why you won't open the door.” Stella stated. “ They keep calling out to be scratched,” Bernadette called back through the door, “But the doctor said that if I scratch them they will open up and spread.” “That's because they're not freckles.” Stella said, “If you leave them alone and don’t scratch they’ll go away. Or at least that's what the doctor told me. Have you been scratching them?”

     “Yes!” Bernadette called out and then flung the door open, “Did you drink the potion too?” “AUGH!” Stella called out when she saw Bernadette.” “AUGH!” Bernadette called out when she saw Stella. “You look horrible.” Stella said. “So do you.” Bernadette replied, “And why are you wearing mittens? It's not that cold out yet.”

     “The mittens are suppose to help me keep from scratching.” Stella said. “Is it working?” Bernadette asked. “Some.” Stella said, “But I'm still not becoming more like God. I even drank some more of the potion this morning and Itchy, itchy, itchy.” “Why did Harold ever have to make that potion?” Bernadette asked. “Because I asked him to.” Stella cried.

     And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."

Genesis 2:16-17 (ESV)

     Do you ever get hungry? Have you ever tried to eat something you shouldn't when you were hungry? God gave Adam and Eve plenty to eat but there was one tree from which they were to never eat. Guess what?

      Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God actually say, 'You shall not eat of any tree in the garden'?" And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, 'You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.' " But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, "Where are you?" And he said, "I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself." He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?" … To the woman he said, "I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you." And to Adam he said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return." … therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.

Genesis 3:1-24 (ESV)

     Is it sin to be tempted? If it is then we are in BIG trouble for we read in Matthew 4:1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. (ESV) But we also know from Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest (Jesus) who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. (ESV)

     Sin comes not because we are tempted but because we give in, like Adam and Eve and it is usually our desires that Satan uses to tempt us into sin as we read in

• James 1:14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. (ESV)
• 1 Timothy 6:9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. (ESV)

     When it comes to sin as a result of temptation we need to remember

• 1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (ESV)
• Hebrews 2:18 For because He Himself has suffered when tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted. (ESV)

     We also need to remember that the tempter will come back time and time again. Even after failing to get Jesus to sin we read in Luke 4:13 And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time. (ESV)

      So, Here's Something To Ponder

• Do you desire like those in Pupperville to be more like God?
• In what ways to you avoid temptation or giving into it so that you may be more like God.