SOCIAL LADDERS
Today's reading: 2 Chronicles 11-15

"But when Rehoboam was firmly established and strong, he abandoned the law of the Lord, and all of Israel followed him in this sin." 2 Chronicles 12:1 NLT

I can see him climbing up the social ladder church meeting by church meeting. Rung by rung he gains a foothold into the hearts and lives of fellow Temple-attenders. He makes his presence known each Sabbath--for spiritual and political reasons (and to appease his wife?). Life goes well. His children do well in school. The polls are upbeat and positive. He's more at peace than ever before. And his wife is happy.

I see the inaugural ball. Friends from church are invited. Fellow pew-sitters are posing beside him for pictures. The priest is even asked to pray at the induction.

And then? Then he begins to miss a few services. He starts snubbing brothers and sisters in Christ. His attitude changes. His heart drifts. His eyes wander.

Inch by inch he steps out from under the presence of the Lord. Day by day he begins to believe what his understudies and political backers tell him--about his power, his might, his intelligence.

We do the same thing, don't we? We never truly intend to walk away from the Lord, from His peace, from His fellowship. We know the goodness of living closely to Him. And yet, we strike off on our own. No intentional vacations, or determined moves--inch by inch, choice by choice, sin by sin.