I've held off blogging about Eliot Spitzer, in part because much of the initial reaction from the mass media was unprofitable and salacious. However, when a number of men gathered at my home for an accountability meeting last week, we took opportunity to briefly discuss it.
Unlike what was communicated on news channels all week long, at our meeting there was no gloating over a powerful, arrogant man who simply "got what he deserved". There was no self righteous musing over how someone so smart could "self destruct" so publicly. We didn't wonder how the former crusading governor known as "Mr Clean", could have lived a double life.
We didn't do that because we simply know better - we know ourselves and we know the nature of sin. We understand that we're more like Eliot Spitzer than we'd like to acknowledge. We're aware of the deceitfulness of sin and our propensity as fallen men to wander from the grace of God. We know that it's the grace of God that keeps us from self destructing. As one of the men in our group said - "That could be me, it could be any of us...it's God's mercy that He rescued us from the penalty and power of sin...it's God's grace that keeps us in Him and keeps us from falling..."
The meeting gave me much to think about. I'm grateful for men who speak words of gospel truth to me - reminding me of how the grace of Jesus Christ has shed light upon my darkened heart. It is also evidence of God's kindness to us as Christians. When God places us in the community of a church, He does so to protect us and care for us.
Don't you wonder how different it might have been for Eliot Spitzer if he had the benefit of such grace? Last week, amidst much of the news about Spitzer, this is what I read from Psalm 32:1
Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
Eliot Spitzer had so much - power, career, fame, wealth. However, as far as we know, he didn't possess what was most important - he didn't have sins covered, a clean conscience and peace with God. Perhaps we should pray for him, that through this trial, he might be drawn to the One who offers these priceless mercies.
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5 comments:
Thank you for this post ESI. It is very true - yea who stand take head lest you fall - and I do hope that this experience will be used for good in his life to bring him to a real faith in Christ.
I have also thought much of his plight. And I've been saddened that there is so little attention to understanding how such things come into our lives and how they can be ushered out before they make us crumble.
Thanks, ESI.
Yes, this should be no shock to us at all, indeed it is noteable to see how by common grace there is as much good and order in society among fallen people as there is, and how good can come from those who are unregenerate, I mean good in the sense of Romans 13 about servants of God serving in the state, and like parallels.
And yes, may God reach down and do a work of grace in his life. This is my prayer right now.
He is risen indeed!
Happy Easter ESI!
Susan, LL, Ted
It is sad - in many ways a tragedy because Mr Spitzer has affected not only himself but his family as well. Imagine the effect on his daughters.
Perhaps God will have mercy on him as He has on us.
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