“Today I fulfilled my vows, and I have food from my fellowship offering at home.”

I was just reading an article about the over 40-year career of Christian minister Ravi Zacharias, who built a reputation among evangelicals as the world’s leading Christian apologist. Ravi had a great impact on my oldest son. Knowing the whys and the evidence of his Christian faith was very important to him. I loved what he learned and how passionate he became about understanding that Christianity did not mean putting your brain on the shelf. When Ravi died and his dark secret came out, it hurt my heart. Kevin was disappointed but took it in stride. He told me that none of that discredited what Ravi taught—it just showed that Ravi was a broken human struggling to the end. Pretty gracious. I have watched over the years as many leaders in the Kingdom lived large public lives as Christian leaders only to fall and lose their impact. It is too easy to confuse ministry effectiveness with God’s approval of sin in our lives. In this story, Solomon is describing a woman who justified her adulterous behavior because she had performed her religious duties. It seems absurd that anyone could be that deceived. However, I see it every day. I suspect you do too. People who go to church every Sunday, might make every meeting at the Church, yet live like the devil during the week. There are pastors in my own community living double lives and feeling justified because they hold popular religious positions. It breaks my heart. Today, live in alignment with who God created and called you to be, and flee sin. #BeTheEdge

“For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.” 2 Corinthians 8:21 NIV