Who can stand?

By the time you read this, the mid-term elections will, thankfully, be a thing of the past. The results at the polls, however, are destined to be a part of more tomorrows than I care to consider.

Campaigns were in full swing until the last possible moment, candidates and supporters tirelessly working to get out the vote. Record amounts of money were spent on campaign advertising, not only in our little corner of the country, but nationwide. And sometimes, it seemed as though every candidate's sneeze was reported by the media at-large, as news outlets looked for "the story" that would topple a giant or elevate an unknown into the spotlight.

They weren't disappointed.

Much was said about Republicans being on the run before the hopeful Democrats who entered the fray, no-holds-barred. Conversely, the Republicans touted their united front, fearless against the onslaught of bad press brought about by downfall after downfall after downfall. Overall, the entire debacle served to make me even more thankful that I am, shall we say, independently-minded. It is also one of the reasons I am thankful for the secret ballot. Who I vote for, or if I vote at all, is nobody's business but my own. This is one instance where "don't ask, don't tell," plays well.

One phrase kept repeating itself in my mind throughout each new revelation of possible wrongdoing by "the other guy" -- and that is that there is none righteous. No, not one. (Romans 3:10) Even a man of highest integrity is, underneath it all, still a man. The latest example of this truth is being played out in Colorado Springs, Colo., even as I write.

And what a heartache it is.

No one is immune.

Rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief -- we are all afflicted. And the infection seems to be getting worse. I can come up with no other explanation for the horrors of mans' inhumanity to man growing worse day-by-day. Families found murdered. Innocent school children gunned down. The darkness deepens. And the light? Well sometimes it seems like it is nothing more than a dim reflection of a dying flashlight shone from a thousand miles away.

Believers, obviously, are not immune to the rampant infection. In fact, too many times, our illness goes untreated, festers and utterly consumes all that we are, all that we believe. How many sit in the pews, quietly disquieted by the erosion of the standards Jesus set, afraid to speak out, lest someone uncover or name some secret sin? Perhaps our unwillingness to admit that we are imperfect reflections of the one we call Father and less than stellar imitators of our Savior King is the enemy's most valuable tool in continuing his reign of deception worldwide. None of us should be surprised to learn that our supposed secret sin is no secret at all, but widely known and condemned, which may be why the terms "Christian" and "Hypocrite" are so closely linked these days, at least in some circles.

The world would solve the problem simply by denying that sin is sin. All that is needed is a change of definition, and in large part, the world is attempting to do so at the judge's bench and in the voting booth. We don't have that luxury. As citizens of the eternal Kingdom of God, we live under a different standard. We are told in Scripture to be holy because he who called us is holy (I Peter 1:15) and we are told in Scripture that if we say we are "without sin," we are liars and "the truth is not in us." (I John 1:8) Believers live in this tension every day. We wake up with a bent toward sin. We lie down at night with a bent toward sin. And to believe ourselves in any way more righteous than anyone else is to invite disaster. After all, Scripture also warns tells us to take heed where we stand, lest we fall. (I Corinthians 10:12)

It's a tightrope. The reality of sin influences every decision every day. Every interaction with anyone must be undertaken with great care. Not only are we supposed to be the Lord's ambassadors to the lost we are supposed to be encouragers to the other ambassadors. Even those actions realized only in the heart are poisonous to our spirits. And each time one of us falls, all are wounded. But, perhaps, none so much as the One who was first wounded for our transgressions -- the King we claim to serve.

"Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator." Colossians 3:5-9 (NIV)

Things you won't see in heaven:

Voting booths