Sandusky Goes To Court. . . Pondering Confession and Repentance. . .

Get ready. The Jerry Sandusky trial begins tomorrow. It will be all over the news. What will you do with it? I've learned that the best way to process these things is not to mock, laugh, or make jokes. There will be plenty of that from the self-righteous who believe they are above sin, and the late night comedians who make a living joking about the misery of others. Instead, we need to look closely at the brokenness of others and learn from it.

I don't know if Jerry Sandusky is guilty or not. Let's hope the courts and the legal system work. What I do know is that the accusations against Sandusky - whether true or not - reflect the reality of broken human nature. They remind us of the presence of sin in our world. They remind us of the need for confession, repentance, forgiveness, discipline, and restoration.

I thought about these things once again late last week as I finished up William Struthers' book Wired for Intimacy: How Pornography Hijacks the Male Brain. In his chapter on "Rewiring and Sanctification," Struthers writes these words that apply to all types of sin and what we do with it. . .


"Many men confess if they are caught, but they may not be repentant. They may feel guilty, but they may not be truly repentant. The measure by which a man can recover from a pornography problem is equal to his willingness to do the things that evidence repentance. If he tries to minimize, normalize, justify, or rationalize, true healing will be slow and unlikely. He must be completely broken, as King David was when confronted by the prophet Nathan (2 Sam 12) in order to be restored. The consequences may not disappear, but he must be prepared to live with them and do what is necessary to make amends. It is essential that a man come to a true place of brokenness on this path. If he does not acknowledge hi need for God, it is difficult for him to make any lasting progress in his recovery."

That's worth thinking about.