The Biggest Adventure

Infidelity has been in the news a lot lately. Whether the person is in politics, business, or entertainment, commentators like to ask, What difference does it make—except to the family. If I had a genius investing my money, why would I care if he were cheating on his wife?

This response makes me scratch my head. If a person would "cheat" the mate he or she claimed to love more than anyone in the world—in effect, lead a double life—why would I trust him with my money? I've never quite understood that logic.

In addition, as a former counselor of eight years, I was trained to think that a person's public persona should match his or her private persona. It was called having an integrated psyche—being a whole, as opposed to a fragmented, personality. I suppose holistic or integrated personality systems are out-of-style now.

Another excuse pundits offer for infidelity goes like this: a person who has reached a certain pinnacle of success in a chosen field is bound to be a risk-taker. Why should the public expect anything less than risky behavior? These people crave adventure, excitement, the thrill of the chase.

I'm so glad my son Scott doesn't use this theory with his two-year-old son. Nathan loves to climb and jump. His mean 'ole Daddy puts restrictions on Nathan's adventurous, thrill-seeking behavior. Some objects are just off limits for climbing or jumping. Scott believes in setting boundaries while encouraging appropriate risk-taking. No adult should take risks without counting the costs.

I touch on this theme in my book, Living Between the Ditches: When God Makes No Sense. Layton, the main character is terribly hurt by the sting of his ex-wife's infidelity and doesn't know how to move past it. If you've read the book, you know the way the story progresses and the surprise Layton has in store.

Let me leave you with a thought from Bill Gothard: A gambler is a person of great faith. His or her faith is simply in the wrong object. Put your faith in God, and you will live the biggest adventure your mind can imagine. Your jack pot will last into eternity!