Infidelity and Betrayal

For some reason in American life this has been the year of the 'affair' in married public life. One after another we see a man standing before cameras announcing his sexual sin in front of a cynical and sickened public. Typically, it's a male 40 or over who in spite of professional 'success' just threw his family life in the trash can. Just what form of stupidity causes a man (or woman) to throw their family life under the proverbial bus? The seduction of sexual infidelity is a powerful lie that appeals to our own pride and ego like nothing else. All sin flows out of the lie that we deserve something better than what we already have. To not "take" that something would leave us feeling dissatisfied.
When we leave our commitments to faithfulness and respect for marriage vows behind something inside of us dies. To betray our husbands or wives has a domino effect on children, parents, friends and society that leaves us all less whole. We would do well to remember the Proverb that tells us, "Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched? So is he who sleeps with another man's wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished."
The cost of pursuing sexual pleasure outside of God's boundaries is injury and death to the soul. The real you lies inside and the scars of betrayal impact both the guilty and the innocent. Only God can forgive and heal the broken heart. When we don't allow for that healing and even pursue it, we guarantee more injury, destruction and death. What we seek in adultery, pornography and other sexual sin is often a much deeper need that momentary pleasure can never satisfy. To be whole and healed of the emptiness in our hearts is a gift of grace and love that only God can satisfy. When we can't control our appetites, the answer lies outside of having more of what we crave. 
We are all capable of infidelity and betrayal. We are human and thus imperfect sinners in need of a Savior. But today we can make a choice to let God heal the broken places in our lives. Today let's examine our hearts and our steps to see in which direction we are walking..... toward sin which would destroy or toward faithfulness which heals and preserves.

Jim