Daily Lesson for February 15, 2017

Today's Daily Lesson comes from Isaiah chapter 64 verses 5b and 6:

Behold, you were angry, and we sinned;
in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved?
6 We have all become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.
We all fade like a leaf,
and our iniquities, like the wind, sweep us away.

Now here is a word of warning to all those involved in any institution, business, or organization of people. The institution may well be full of good and decent people.  But the unrighteousness of the righteous is the ultimate Achilles Heel. We are often blind to our own sin until it is too late. But one day our sin and the sin of others which we ignored, tolerated, and even covered over is made known. And on that day the Prophet's words are fulfilled: the righteous deeds of the institution will be seen as filthy rags.  What was once said to be righteous will in fact later be seen as hypocritical and indicting.

In recent years we have seen this drama play out in myriads of places: world-class athletic programs, campus fraternities, and even the Church. One uncorks the bottle of sin, but once the bottle is spilled everything is ruined. Lives and careers and reputations and otherwise good people get ruined. All can be made to become like one who is unclean and no one spared. Even our righteousness is soiled beyond recovery.

Is there any good news here?  Just this, that for some there is still time to change.