It’s amazing to me that so many people do such stupid things for momentary pleasure not ever considering the future. We never know what the future will bring: what our opportunities will be, what challenges we will face. Yet, so many of us make really stupid choices for a moment’s enjoyment. We all do this in small ways. I’m guilty of it with choices I make with food. I’ve done other stupid stuff in the past. Fortunately, nothing I did in my youth was stupid enough to cause lasting consequences which would come back to haunt me. This past week Howard Cain, republican running for president, has been accused of sexual misconduct by several women. I’m not going to make any comments about whether he is guilty or innocent, whether the women are speaking truth or lies, etc. What I am going to talk about the absence of forethought people use when making choices. My pastor, a very wise and down to earth guy, says, “sin makes you stupid.” He is so write. When we sin, the choice is always stupid. Men seem especially vulnerable to sexual sin. How many politicians, who are male, have we discovered have a past which involves sexual sin? It’s been the downfall of many, mainly males, in prominent positions in elected office, church leadership, business, etc. None of these people thought that their sin would have ramifications years down the line. Some may have had a marriage implode and family destroyed, which is terrible enough. How many thought about the opportunities destroyed, the embarrassment to themselves and those around, them twenty or thirty years later, when the prospect of advancing in their career or simply in their life, because they sinned years ago and it comes out now. I’m sure that those who have lost careers because of sexual sin made public, you-tube videos displaying aberrant behavior, etc. reveals it for all to see. Much is said about the value of transparency in our culture today. Being transparent in business, politics, accounting, all are expected to be transparent so others can see there is nothing unethical or illegal being done. Would that we would lead our lives that way. When the Pharisees were trying to find something in Jesus’ life to bring charges against Him which would lead to His execution, they could find nothing. He lived a totally transparent life, and everyone knew it. Nothing could be said against Him, of course they made things up, but even those were convoluted tales. By remembering that when we sin we are being stupid, maybe we can resist and do what is right. I think some good advice is: If you don’t want it splashed all over the tv news, the internet, or simply around town, don’t do it. If you want to have all the opportunities God may have in store for you, ten, twenty or thirty years from now, don’t be doing something stupid that, if it comes to light will prevent you from taking advantage of the blessing God wants to give you. None of those who have had their careers destroyed had any idea that their sin would be brought back to them in the future. I’ll bet twenty years ago Howard Cain never thought he would be running for president.
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April 2018
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