Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please. Mark Twain

I, like many of you, have been watching the budget debates in the House and Senate in the same manner that one might view an auto accident. You really don’t want to look, but sometimes you can’t help but sneak a peek. When you do, you are invariably disappointed that you did.

I have to confess that I am a bit confused by the whole process. The politicians say that they were going to spend $10 trillion more than they were planning on taking in over the next ten years. However, through a self-described process of unparalleled fiscal discipline and social heroism, these patriots have decided to spend only $7 trillion more than they are planning to take in. This of course does not included any extra funds that they will have to borrow for “unplanned emergencies”. They refer to this process as “deficit reduction”.

Cool!

We kind of expect this from our politicians, but how sad it is when we fool ourselves in a similar way when it comes to serving God. We promise ourselves that we will start our righteous living some day, but we instead just cut back a bit on our sinful behavior. Then, having cut back on our sin, we declare ourselves righteous.

This type of behavior might deceive politicians and other self-deluded individuals, but it shouldn’t fool us. And we can be certain that it doesn’t fool God.

Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. I Corinthians 6:9-10, NIV

Serve wholeheartedly, as if serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does. Ephesians 6:7-8, NIV