Have you, someone you know or know of been on Ashley Madison?

While I have no statistical verification, I am fairly confident that most Ashley Madison clients are not Christian leaders. I am also fairly confident that most Christian leaders are not Ashley Madison clients. Having said that, we should not be surprised that some Christian leaders, even prominent ones, have been Ashley Madison clients. Being a leader does not exempt anyone from human vulnerability. Nevertheless, we are rightly disappointed when someone who has been in a trusted position of spiritual leadership is caught in moral compromise. The damage reverberates in broken reputations, careers, marriages, families, ministries, churches and lost trust among followers.

We ought not to gloat at the moral fall of someone of whom we were already suspicious. No ideology has a monopoly on sin, and we must not misuse an individual’s failure to discredit a whole movement. When “liberals” fall, “conservatives” cluck about the consequences of relaxing standards. When “conservatives” fall, “liberals” cluck about the dangers of self-righteous judgmentalism. Moral collapse does not necessarily invalidate the ideas someone taught. It may only indicate how hard it is for all of us to live up to our principles. Ideas must be addressed on their own merits, not on the ability of their advocates to practice them.

Yet, ideas have consequences. We human beings are expert at rationalizing our own behaviors and at condescending judgment of others. Arrogance and self-righteousness are joint guides on the path of moral failure. We all do well to heed the Apostle Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 10:12. “If you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall.” Especially in my role as a pastor, I desperately need the prayer of Psalm 69:6. “Do not let those who hope in you be put to shame because of me, O Lord God of hosts; do not let those who seek you be dishonored because of me, O God of Israel.”