— Romans 6:23a

One sunny summer afternoon, I strolled slowly but carelessly out of the grocery store, my eyes attracted by something afar off, and I suddenly descended from a severe, well-marked step onto the pavement.

I lost my balance and tried desperately to remain upright. Some distance away, however, I fell flat on my face, bent my glasses and immediately looked around to see if anyone had seen me — a usual first impulse we all contend with.

Almost instantly, about a dozen people rushed to me, one a friend who asked, “Dale, are you all right?” Modesty and pride rushed onto the scene from my soul, and I was totally embarrassed!

As I drove home, I thought of another time when I stumbled and fell out in a Montana pasture, miles from civilization, and once again I automatically looked around to see if anyone was in sight. Two extremes, one with a lot of people around and one all by myself, but the same reaction — embarrassment, modesty and pride!

    While musing over this, I wondered, “Am I as proud, modest and embarrassed when I stumble into sin before the omni eye of God? While strolling along, do I not sometimes stumble into sin when my eye sees afar off things like lust, greed, covetousness and idolatry?”

And here I am reminded of Achen from Joshua 7. Joshua had led his people into a battle where God had commanded them to destroy everything except that which was reserved for the Lord’s treasury. 

But Achen, an Israelite soldier, fell flat on his face in his own privacy, evidently not concerned, and ignorant of anyone watching. Achen had taken some loot for himself and the all- seeing eye of God made the Lord angry at what He saw —not only angry at Achen, but also with the entire nation of Israel.

Sin can have a domino effect, beginning with the sinner and its effect reaching out to family, friends and even to a city and a nation. In verse 10, the Lord said to Joshua, “Get up off your face.” 

In verse 11, God said: “I said, ‘It (loot) was not to be taken, and they have not only taken it, but they have lied about it, and have hidden it among their belongings.’”

Then Joshua and all the Israelites took Achen, the looted silver, the robe, the wedge of gold, his sons, his daughters, his oxen, donkeys, sheep, his tent and everything he had. And the men of Israel stoned them and burned their bodies. Just as Romans 6:23a says, “The wages of sin is death. ...”

I find that my daily prayer is a shield of protection to help keep me from falling flat on my face into sin.

Psalm 139:23 says: “Search me, oh Lord, and know my heart; try me and know my thoughts, and see if there is any wicked way in me; and lead me in Thy way everlasting.”

And Numbers 32:23 says, “... you can be sure your sin will find you out.”