Matthew 26:41: “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
My uncle only allowed himself a smidge when eating sweets. He would slice off a sliver of triple-layer chocolate cake with thick frosting to satisfy his craving for sugar without overindulging.
However, he never stopped at just “one smidge.” Tiny slice by tiny slice, over the span of an afternoon, the entire cake was demolished. This is the way of temptation. My uncle never intended to overindulge but he lacked the willpower to resist.
Most of us have had one of those “I can’t believe I ate that” moments. My weakness is the small loaves of warm sourdough bread with butter the waitress places on the table at San Francisco seafood restaurants on Fisherman’s Wharf.
An entire cake or loaf of bread is no big deal, right?
A Smidge is Never Enough
Self-indulgence is that crack that begins to fracture godly characteristics, such as self-control. Soon the flesh takes over and indulgence becomes our practice.
The Apostle Paul used the metaphor of yeast in a lump of dough to show how sin, if not addressed, spreads. In 1 Corinthians 5:6-8 he wrote: “A little leaven leavens the whole lump. Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump…For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.” In this passage, Paul was instructing the church, explaining that if Christians overlook sin in the body of Christ, it will quietly spread.
When we consistently fail to resist an extra slice of cake or piece of bread, we eventually damage ourselves physically. My uncle developed Type 2 diabetes. But from a spiritual aspect, we set ourselves up for future failure. These seemingly minor desires that gratify our flesh can lead us to greater infractions.
In His Word
The instruction to watch and pray so as to not fall into temptation was given to Peter in the garden of Gethsemane shortly before Jesus was arrested. Jesus took His disciples to the garden after eating the Passover meal with them and initiating the Lord’s Supper. But before the chief priests and elders came to arrest Jesus, accompanied by crowds carrying swords and clubs, He stepped aside with Peter, James, and John to pray. He asked them to watch with Him, then He fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39)
After pouring His heart out to His Father, He returned to the three and found them sleeping. He asked, “Could you not watch with me one hour?”
“Peter and his fellow disciples had promised to be faithful to death, and yet they went to sleep! They needed to pray for themselves, because danger was around the corner,” wrote Warren Wiersbe in Be Loyal, his commentary on the book of Matthew.1
To watch and pray means to be both physically and spiritually awake. By watching, we do what we can in our power, and by praying we seek God’s power. We cannot stand when tempted without God’s help.2
What are we to be watching for? Anything that entices us to stray from God’s will. Jesus dreaded the cup of judgment but endured because His sacrifice was the only way to pay the penalty for sin. Without it, you and I could not be forgiven of our sins and saved from judgment.
Walking It Out
All that entices us is referred to as temptation, which is the lure from within or without to act contrary to God’s Word or character. We sin when we give in to temptation.
Therefore, we are not only to be watchful but also pray. David Guzik wrote in his online commentary Enduring Word, “The spiritual battle is often won or lost before the crisis comes.”2
Perhaps that is why Jesus directed His comments to Peter in these passages. Although two other disciples were present, it was Peter who would deny Jesus three times that very night. Yet he had boldly told Jesus, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” (Matthew 26:33)
Those of us who are in Christ are like Peter. Our spirit is willing- “We will never fall away!” we exclaim. But just like Peter we soon discover our flesh is weak. Yes, our intentions are sincere but human nature is frail.
Therefore, we must be watchful. What are we allowing to seep into our life that could fracture our resolve and lead to our downfall? Remember the metaphor of yeast in a lump of dough. A little sin can quickly spread corrupting the individual and even those around him or her.
Just as my uncle could not stop at one smidge, neither can we. So let’s be watchful and pray, that we might recognize all that tempts us and be able to stand by the power of the Holy Spirit. In this way, we will not succumb to that smidge that leads to another and another.
©2025 Susan Cort Johnson *All Rights Reserved
References:
1 Be Loyal, by Warren W. Wiersbe. Victor, Cook Communications Ministries, Colorado Springs, Colorado.
2 Enduring Word commentary by David Guzik, enduringword.com.