No way - not the Terminator!

No way. This can not be! Not the Terminator! Say it isn't so Arnold!

But alas, it is.

News reports today reveal that Arnold Scharzenegger fathered a child out of wedlock more than ten years ago with staff member of his.

At the conclusion of his term as Governor, Arnold came forward with this information. That along with his separation from long-time wife Mariah Shriver.

If you're reading this, my gut tells me that questions flowing through your mind are:

1. Why did we not know this BEFORE he was governor?
2. Why is this being revealed now?
   

As Christians loving others and trying to come along side of them we desperately try and understand the motivation of people. We earnestly want to understand their reasoning for why they do things.

Part of that desire is pure - to understand a person's motivation is beneficial to leading them to new life in Christ. If we see the path they've taken, understanding their history, we can lead them to the future.

The other part, if we are really honest is impure - we like gossip, we like drama. For whatever host of selfish desires part of the explanation of why we desperately want to know peoples reasons and motivation for doing things is strictly from a desire to feed our flesh.

Which reminded me of one of God's choice select cuts of scripture "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" Jeremiah 17:9

The minute I heard the news about Arnold Scharzenegger, one of my favorite movie icons, I was instinctively bummed - but not surprised.

In my flesh I began to ask the questions, "What if this had come out before the election? How did this stay hidden from all of us? Why is it convenient for him to tell us now after he's stepped down?" Then my flesh plotted evil in saying, "I know why it didn't come out? Because if it had - no way would the people of California have voted for him!"

But the sweet small voice of God was whispering in my ear, "Kurt, remember the heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?"

And then I knew, even with Arnold's sin, or any sin I see in the life of people around me I can let it affect the way I think about people. I even discount the Gospel and I reduce the deceit in my own heart enough to realize I am worse off for thinking this way.

If you're looking at Arnold's sin, or the sin of people in your life while purposely ignorant of your own sin, deceived into thinking you're ok' and they're not - think again.

You and I need Jesus - just the same as Arnold - pray for the both of you.

Till next time,
Kurt