Articles

Misquitos are a good analogy for temptations.

When you get nervous about a misquito, you sweat the tiniest amount, and misquitos are literally attracted to your sweat. So by being nervous about them, you are attracting them to yourself.

In the same way, when you get nervous about temptations, the temptations have stronger sway over you. When you are afraid of demons, they have more control over you. The solution is to know they are there, and be ready to swat the temptation as soon as it comes, but without being afraid or nervous about it.

If you get bitten, there’s nothing you can do. If the misquito is still there, of course, swat it so it doesn’t bite again. But the bite is there to stay for a little while. Scratching the itch only makes it itch more. The more you scratch, the more it will become infuriatingly itchy, until you’re making the skin bleed from scratching so much.

In the same way, if you fall into temptation, ignore it and move on with your day as if you didn’t. Focusing on the temptation and your failure will only make you more and more upset, and will lead to more sins.

When you hear the buzzing of a misquito, it will eventually cause you to become nervous, and that will make it bite you. The only solution is to leave the area where the misquitos are. There’s no use swatting them, since if you kill one, another will take its place.

In the same way, if you feel the buzzing of temptation, remove yourself from the temptation. It’s impossible to get rid of the temptation by facing it directly. You have to leave the situation that is producing the temptation, whether it’s a bad friendship, a social situation, a prideful career, or anything at all.

Misquitos love areas full of water, and they come out during storms. The only way to avoid them is to avoid these wet situations altogether.

In the same way, avoid putting yourself in situations where you know there are many temptations. Don’t go to bars or parties or clubs, which are wavy seas of temptation and sin. When you know a situation is likely to turn south quickly, avoid that situation entirely so you don’t get caught up in the storm of temptations it will produce.