Sin is like the flu, it spreads in mysterious ways and deeply affects those around us.  And every sin we commit we “justify.”  Every.  Single.  One.

Abraham wasn’t picture perfect.  In the name of “protecting his wife” he lied and said she was his sister.   It was a white lie but a lie is a lie and it could have been disastrous.   And in some ways it was.  Because his son Isaac repeated his son and lied also about his wife.  His father had modeled well.

Then Isaac’s son Jacob fell into deceit.  He tricked his brother out of his birthright.  Then his mother Rebekah led him to steal his brother’s blessing.  Perhaps Rachel didn’t think it was a big deal to trick Jacob in the name of helping her favorite son move forward.  But her deceit was real.  In fear she sent Jacob off to her brother Laban, but he too had learned how to deceive.  Maybe from their father?  We don’t know.  And then it spread to Jacob’s wife Rachel.  She didn’t flinch lying to her father (Gen 31:34).

And on and on and on.

It seems simple, the lies we justify.  But sin is contagious.  It effects those around us including our family and friends.

Recently I realized that one of my friends had modeled a sin for me that I too followed suit.  It is not her fault or responsibility.  It is 100% mine.  But I realized how much she had helped me to justify what was already in my heart.

Nobody is perfect.  We all fall down.  But we should never take sin lightly.  There is no such thing as a “white lie” or a sin that doesn’t matter because nobody will find out.

Let righteousness be ever our goal.  Not legalism.

But righteousness.