The Bait Always Looks Good

Read

James 1:14–15 “But each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”

Think

Fishing lures are designed to do one thing: look irresistible. Flashy colors. Perfect movement. Just the right kind of shimmer. But underneath all the attraction is a hook. What looks like a meal ends up becoming a trap. Temptation works the same way.

When it comes to adultery, most people imagine the final act. The affair. The exposure. The fallout. But no one starts there. The story always begins upstream. Long before anything physical happens, something subtle shifts. A look that lingers. A text that crosses a line. A conversation you hope your spouse never finds out about. You haven’t taken the bait yet, but you’re circling it. And it looks good.

James tells the truth. We are “dragged away and enticed” by our own desires. Sin doesn’t pounce on us uninvited. It lures. Slowly. Strategically. The word “enticed” literally means to bait a hook. In other words, temptation doesn’t come at you with sirens and alarms. It comes dressed up like something that seems good. Something that feels earned or deserved. Something that promises connection, excitement, or escape. And it always starts small.

Maybe it begins after a season of stress. You feel unappreciated at home. Marriage has gotten monotonous. You’ve been arguing more. You’re exhausted. And then someone at work starts complimenting you. Noticing you. Laughing at your jokes. They ask how you’re doing and seem to really care. It’s innocent at first. But part of you enjoys it. Looks forward to it. Feels seen again. That’s how the drift begins.

It might not even feel like sin. It feels like something coming alive again. But you start justifying the small things. A lingering coffee break. A message you wouldn’t want your spouse to read. An emotional connection you downplay. “It’s not like we’ve done anything.” That line becomes the excuse. But it’s also the warning sign. Because if you’re having to defend it that way, you already know something’s off. Sin thrives in the shadows. If you have to hide it, it’s probably a hook.

Temptation doesn’t feel like danger. It feels like relief. And that’s what makes it so effective. Satan doesn’t bait us with what we hate. He uses what we crave. Approval. Adventure. Comfort. Intimacy. But he offers it in a counterfeit package.

You might feel like your story is unique. Like this situation is different. Like this connection must be from God because it feels so right. But the bait always looks good. That’s the design. It’s meant to pull your heart in while numbing your sense of danger. The enemy doesn’t show you the divorce papers or the custody battle or the regret in your child’s eyes. He just shows you the moment that feels electric. The fantasy that feels flattering. The affirmation you’ve been starving for. And if you’re not paying attention, you’ll bite.

Think about a boat that drifts just one degree off course. At first, it’s unnoticeable. But keep going long enough and you’ll be miles from where you were supposed to be. No one sets out to betray their marriage. No one thinks they’ll become the person who shatters trust. But distraction becomes attraction. Attraction becomes infatuation. Infatuation becomes justification. And justification becomes sin.

The enemy’s goal is never just to tempt you. It’s to destroy you. That’s why the seventh commandment exists. Not to shame. Not to restrict. But to wake us up before we drift too far. The warning comes in love. God is not trying to ruin your fun. He is trying to protect your future.

If you are in a marriage right now, this matters. Stay alert to the drift. Ask yourself, “Is there anyone in my life I’m giving access to emotionally that belongs only to my spouse?” “Am I hiding messages, erasing call logs, or justifying casual flirtation?” If the answer is yes, that’s not just temptation—it’s compromise. And compromise never stops politely. It keeps taking.

And if you’re single, the warning still applies. The seeds of faithfulness are planted long before you say “I do.” How you handle attraction now reveals your future patterns. Are you learning to redirect desire? To guard your heart? To say no when no one is watching?

Temptation is not sin. Jesus was tempted. You are not a failure for feeling drawn toward someone. But you are responsible for what you do next.

You can’t always control what floats past your path. But you can control whether you take the bait. And here’s the hope. You’re not alone in the fight. God doesn’t just command purity. He empowers it. The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you. That means you are not helpless. You don’t have to give in. You don’t have to drift. You can call it what it is, reject the bait, and walk away.

Today might be the day you turn the boat back around. Before the damage. Before the hook sinks deeper. God’s grace is strong enough to forgive and clear enough to warn. He’s not looking to punish you. He’s calling you back to your vow. Because what he designed for intimacy is too sacred to throw away for a lie.

Apply

Take inventory of your emotional and relational world. Is there anyone or anything that’s baited your heart lately? Maybe it’s subtle—harmless on the surface—but underneath, you know it’s not honoring your marriage or your future. Bring it to the light. Confess it to God. Talk to someone you trust. The sooner you name it, the easier it is to walk away.

Pray

God, I confess that I am not immune to temptation. I’ve seen things, felt things, thought things that have pulled at my heart. Help me see clearly. Give me the strength to say no before sin grows. Keep my heart guarded, my steps aligned with your truth, and my eyes fixed on what is good. In Jesus’ name. Amen.