Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.
1 Corinthians 10:12-14
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In 1565, Cosimo de Medici, the Duke of Florence, commissioned the construction of a private passageway that would allow him to travel safely from the Pitti Palace to the government offices at the Palazzo Vecchio. Rather than walking openly across the Ponte Vecchio—where he would be exposed and vulnerable—he chose a protected route built above the shops and homes along the bridge. His concern was well-founded; political violence was not uncommon, and even members of his own family had been assassinated. The passage, now known as the Vasari Corridor and visited by tourists, provided a secure way to avoid danger.
The Bible tells us that God has provided a way to avoid giving in to temptation. Our text explains that when temptation comes, we are to use the way of escape He provides. Although the devil is powerful, the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives gives us the ability to resist. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).
Victory over temptation comes when we take the “corridor.” Imagine a member of the Medici family who knew the passage existed, yet chose to walk across the bridge anyway. We would rightly see that as foolish and expect a tragic result. Yet when we face temptation, we often do the same—ignoring God’s way of escape and stepping into danger instead.
