I've been hearing and watching on TV the debacle of politicians getting caught -literally- with their pants down. Every time I hear about another congressman or governor or rich person, I always shake my head in wonder. "Don't they think they're going to get caught eventually? How can they risk their marriages and careers and reputations for some cheap thrills or a night of illicit sex?"
It always comes out.
Always.
Always!
Even if it doesn't ever come out on this side of heaven, there will be hell to pay on the other side!
I can't even get away with cheating on my diet.
The other day, after a long day of running errands, shopping for two wedding gifts and finishing off my shopping excursion at the grocery store, my feet hurt and my tummy rumbled. At the check-out, a little bag of M n Ms must have noticed my depleted state. It whispered, "Come on, you know you want me.Where's the harm? I'm just a little bag of chocolate. Not too many calories. And, after all, chocolate is good for you."
I kind of looked around me to make sure there wasn't any one watching who knew me from church.
I enjoyed those M n Ms all the way up the canyon to Estes.
As I pulled into my garage, I thought I'd better throw away the evidence. I have been encouraging Bruce to cut back on his carb intake. I sure didn't want to look like a hypocrite.
Later that evening, Bruce and I decided to drive downtown for a stroll along the river. I climbed into the passenger seat and Bruce stepped into the drivers side.
"What's this?" Bruce leaned over and plucked up something small and colorful, lying on the floor mat.
"An M n M. You had M n Ms!" Bruce looked wickedly delighted at his discovery.
I glanced at him with a guilty expression, and he roared with laughter.
"I am so busted."
"You sure are." He handed me the little green M n M and I popped it into my mouth.
I really didn't feel too guilty about eating the M n Ms. It had more to do with getting caught. I felt really sorry about that.
It immediately reminded me of the congressman in the news recently. When he resigned from his congressional position, he didn't seem too sorry for what he'd done. (I could be wrong.) But he did seem sorry for the affect of his actions. Didn't he ever think he'd get caught?
Didn't I think I'd get caught for my M n M sin? Sure. So I attempted to cover my tracks.
But even if Bruce hadn't discovered that single errant M n M, my lack of discipline would have shown up eventually on my waistline, or my doctor's lab test next month.
Sin always gets exposed. Somewhere, somehow, sometime.
There is for all of us an "Aha!" somewhere down the line.
Job 12:22 says, "He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into the light."
But as Believers, no matter what He reveals, we can be assured that He loves us and has accepted us in the Beloved. We do not need to fear ultimate judgment. Discipline, maybe, but not judgment.
I sincerely hope that those men who have been caught in scandal recently, sincerely repent and come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
The question is: in our actions, who are we trying to please? Our own flesh or God?
It always comes out.
Always.
Always!
Even if it doesn't ever come out on this side of heaven, there will be hell to pay on the other side!
I can't even get away with cheating on my diet.
The other day, after a long day of running errands, shopping for two wedding gifts and finishing off my shopping excursion at the grocery store, my feet hurt and my tummy rumbled. At the check-out, a little bag of M n Ms must have noticed my depleted state. It whispered, "Come on, you know you want me.Where's the harm? I'm just a little bag of chocolate. Not too many calories. And, after all, chocolate is good for you."
I kind of looked around me to make sure there wasn't any one watching who knew me from church.
I enjoyed those M n Ms all the way up the canyon to Estes.
As I pulled into my garage, I thought I'd better throw away the evidence. I have been encouraging Bruce to cut back on his carb intake. I sure didn't want to look like a hypocrite.
Later that evening, Bruce and I decided to drive downtown for a stroll along the river. I climbed into the passenger seat and Bruce stepped into the drivers side.
"What's this?" Bruce leaned over and plucked up something small and colorful, lying on the floor mat.
"An M n M. You had M n Ms!" Bruce looked wickedly delighted at his discovery.
I glanced at him with a guilty expression, and he roared with laughter.
"I am so busted."
"You sure are." He handed me the little green M n M and I popped it into my mouth.
I really didn't feel too guilty about eating the M n Ms. It had more to do with getting caught. I felt really sorry about that.
It immediately reminded me of the congressman in the news recently. When he resigned from his congressional position, he didn't seem too sorry for what he'd done. (I could be wrong.) But he did seem sorry for the affect of his actions. Didn't he ever think he'd get caught?
Didn't I think I'd get caught for my M n M sin? Sure. So I attempted to cover my tracks.
But even if Bruce hadn't discovered that single errant M n M, my lack of discipline would have shown up eventually on my waistline, or my doctor's lab test next month.
Sin always gets exposed. Somewhere, somehow, sometime.
There is for all of us an "Aha!" somewhere down the line.
Job 12:22 says, "He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into the light."
But as Believers, no matter what He reveals, we can be assured that He loves us and has accepted us in the Beloved. We do not need to fear ultimate judgment. Discipline, maybe, but not judgment.
I sincerely hope that those men who have been caught in scandal recently, sincerely repent and come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
The question is: in our actions, who are we trying to please? Our own flesh or God?
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