“How is your sin affecting others?”
Hi again. We’re continuing my week-long series of “random thoughts on my journey with Jesus!”
Today, I’m talking about one of my favorite Bible characters in all of Scripture: Abraham.
In Genesis Chapter 12, Abraham has just received this incredible covenant where God says,”'I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you, I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:2-3, NIV)
You would think that Abraham would take that covenant and do everything he could to honor all that God was going to bless him with. But much to our surprise, instead of choosing honesty and integrity, Abram—who would later be called Abraham—decides to lie.
Genesis 12 tells us, “As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife, Sarai, 'I know what a beautiful woman you are. When the Egyptians see you, they will say, “This is his wife.” Then they will kill me but will let you live. Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you.'” (Genesis 12:11-13, NIV)
The story gets even more confusing because a few verses later, it says, “But the Lord inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram's wife Sarai. So Pharaoh summoned Abram. 'What have you done to me? Why didn't you tell me she was your wife? Why did you say, “She is my sister,” so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!’” (Genesis 12:1-19, NIV)
Theologians have tried to figure out why God would punish Pharaoh instead of Abraham when Abram was the one who actually lied. We could spend hours trying to unpack this story, but in doing so, I think we might miss the point. The truth is Abram's lie affected not only himself, but also his wife, Pharaoh, and Pharaoh's entire household.
To me, this is a truth worth noting: any time we decide to sin, we are also choosing to not trust God. We are taking matters into our own hands, and the consequences affect not only us but everyone around us.
This is my challenge for you today. Instead of focusing on what sin you can avoid, how about looking towards what good you can choose? What truth can you tell today that will touch the people around you? What can you obey in God's Word that will make your life richer? What joy can you spread that will change the hearts of the people that God has placed around you and in your path?
Here's what's amazing to me about the story of Abraham. Just eight chapters later, he does it again, and the consequences are even more severe!
So, my friend, let's choose today not to manage our sin, but to simply be obedient to all that God has called us to do.
In doing that, we will protect our own hearts and also the hearts of the ones we love!
Never forget, you are a miracle.
