“Be sure your sin will find you out”
–Numbers 32:23– (NKJV)

The call came in as a medical aid, possible 242. As fire personnel arrived on scene they were informed that a mother had been assaulted by her daughter. There in the home was a beautiful little five year old child sitting on the sofa next to her grandmother. The grandmother appeared bruised and shaken. The paramedic leaned down and softly asked, “Where do you hurt?” The grandmother looked up at me her eyes filled with sorrow, and stated, “Where do I hurt? I hurt in my heart.” The frightened granddaughter looked over at me and said, “My mommy beat up my grandma.” In the other room the mother was being handcuffed and led off to the police car.

As I observed the situation, I thought to myself, three lives radically affected by one act of sin. That’s exactly what sin does! Though sin might be committed by only one person, its effects are “rippling” as it is felt by so many others. We see it all the time. For instance, an addict needs a fix so he robs a store to get the money to pay for his drugs. During the robbery the innocent store clerk is killed. The police eventually arrest him and put him in jail. When he goes to trial he’s tried by a jury of his peers who have to take off work to be there. The family of the dead store clerk spend every day in the courtroom when they would much rather be spending it with the store clerk, etc. etc. etc…all because of one act of sin.

As I watched the events unfold in this home, my heart began to ache as I realized how desperately these three people needed the Lord in their lives. Only with God’s help will they be able to overcome this tragic episode in their lives. Only with God’s love will they be able to forgive. Only with God’s strength will they be able to move forward in their life.

My point is this. Our sin affects more than just us. It affects those around us including those we love the most.

In addition, we must never think that we are better than the people we deal with on the job. As it’s been said, “There but by the grace of God go I.” The Bible says it this way, “If you think you are standing strong, be careful, for you, too, may fall into the same sin”
(1 Corinthians 10:12 NLT).

Only as we stay close to the Lord will we remain strong in the Lord. Only as we remain strong in the Lord will we not fall into sin. I am not saying that we can become sinless, but I am saying that with God’s strength in our life, we can sin less. When we sin less, less people will be affected.

Go and sin less,

Pastor / Chaplain Steve