From the archives of Evelyn Roberts – Second of four parts
Temptations aren’t always temptations to do something bad. Sometimes they are temptations to choose a path that is second-best.
During the time after Oral had come to Texas and had proposed to me, and before we were married, I had two opportunities to marry other men. One of them drove from north Texas down to south Texas where I was teaching just to ask me to marry him. We had dated some in the past, and when he asked me to marry him, I said, “You’re a fine man and I admire you very much. We’ve had good times when we’ve gone out together, but I can’t marry you. I’m in love with another person, and I’m going to marry him and we’re going into the ministry.” He tried his best to tell me what a terrible life I’d have as a minister’s wife. And then a second man came along and offered me the privilege of marrying him and living on a wonderful large farm that his family had in Texas. I said, “No, thank you. I’m going to marry Oral and we’ll do what God tells us to do.”
Now, both of these men were fine young men. They had bright futures ahead of them. But, they weren’t God’s BEST plan for me.
At the same time, Oral was experiencing a similar thing in Oklahoma. A young woman who was very talented musically offered to sing with Oral at his evangelistic meetings, as a pretext for being close to him. One day she actually said to him, “That girl in Texas is not for you. I’m the one God has called to be your wife. I have the talent to really help you in your ministry.”
Each one of these people―even though they were Christian―was an adversary that came against Oral and me. They were temptations to keep us from following God’s BEST plan for us. No matter how much fun or wealth a temptation holds… no matter how right it may seem on the surface… continue to hold fast to God’s word to you. Don’t miss the best plan that God has for you and the door that He is opening.