January 8 Rationalizing Sin

Genesis 20:11-12  Abraham replied, "I said to myself, 'There is surely no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.' Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father though not of my mother; and she became my wife."

Let me quote a line or so from Smith's comments here: Before Abraham lied to others, he first had to deceive himself into believing that telling a half-truth was just as honest as telling the whole truth.

This line stopped me cold.  I had to sort out what was being said here.  Oh, I know they are simple, uncomplicated words, but strung together like that, I had to think them through.  Abraham had to justify what he was going to do to himself. He didn't tell those lies without forethought; he rationalized them, bending truth to suit his need.  He then came to believe this act of deception was worth doing because the bottom line was he didn't trust God to take care of him, though God had in the past.  Here Abraham comes to the conclusion that God needs his help - even if it causes him to violate his integrity.

Then Smith says this: it's often easier to rationalize our sin the more often we do it!"

One of the many thoughts that came to my mind here was that this is especially true with what we might consider little sins: I don't commit adlultery or fornication.  I don't worship idols; I'm not a thief or murderer, nor do I practice witchcraft.  But is there anything in my life or your life that haunts me or you as we talk about this - these little sins. 

Let me be transparent about an object lesson that I just lived. In my living room, a bowl of Christmas chocolates has been sitting on the coffee-table since before Christmas, untouched.  I had this idea that after Christmas I would chop them all up into cookies, until this afternoon. Now mind you, I know that neither do I need the chocolate because I am hungry, nor could I say it was good for me (it was not dark chocolate, not a little bit heart healthy). But, on my way through the living room to get a book to study, I picked four chocolates up - two for me and two for my husband for dessert for supper.  He didn't come right down, so I ate one.  Then another, then all four.  The first rationalization made all the others easier.

Smith's challenges us this way, "What persistent sin do I engage in and have rationalized so repeatedly that it now hardly seems to be sin at all?"

Have I lied to myself that eating chocolate for me is not sin often enough that I don't even see it coming until it is history?

As I reread this, it sounds rambling, but there is a point here: I must be careful not to rationalize or bend the truth the first time, and I won't even be tempted a second time.