It’s like passing by a car wreck—can’t stand to see it, but can’t seem to look away.
I’m talking about the current goings-on in Washington, D.C. Calling that place a “swamp” seems like a bit of an understatement these days, but as murky as politics can be, it does makes one thing abundantly clear: it’s a lot easier to write a noble mission statement than it is to live by it.
I was watching the news the other day and found myself, as I often do, yelling back at the TV and wondering why I don’t stick to “Andy Griffith” reruns. The hypocrisy, dishonesty, delusion and selfish ambition displayed by some elected officials and news pundits was making me crazy.
“What happened to these people?” I wondered. “And how did the best system of government in the history of the world get so messed up?”
I didn’t have to wonder long because I already knew the answer: sin. After all, sin is the ultimate cause of everything that’s wrong in the world. And there seems to be a particular strain of sin sickness that can infect even organizations with noble mission statements and individuals who start out with good intentions.
I’ll explain it like this: We may begin with a sincere desire to do good, but if we achieve some measure of success, there’s a strong temptation to become obsessed with “feeding the beast”—sustaining and protecting what we’ve built, accumulated, or achieved—and completely lose sight of our original mission and vision.
It’s easy enough to spot this “swamp fever” in Washington, where what began as a relatively simple form of government has turned into a huge, complicated mess. The framers of our constitution would likely be appalled at professional politicians who care more about retaining power than seeking truth and doing what’s good and right.
Unfortunately, churches and religious organizations aren’t immune to this sickness. As ministries grow, the focus of leadership can shift from growing believers to growing budgets and trust in God can be replaced by trust in marketing strategies.
“Swamp fever” can also infect individual followers of Christ when simple faith, rooted in the grace of God, morphs into a complicated, exhausting checklist of man-made rules. Relationship with God is replaced with a fearful, prideful need to be “religious enough” to impress Him and others.
I think that’s why Jesus said, “… whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all (Mark 10:15).” God isn’t a harsh taskmaster or ruthless CEO; He’s the loving Father of all who humbly come to Him through sincere faith in Jesus.
The Apostle Paul also addressed this soul sickness when he rebuked the Christians in Galatia: “Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? (Galatians 3:3).”
And when he warned the Corinthians, “But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ (2 Cor. 11:3).”
It isn’t easy to stay simply and purely devoted to Christ and the principles He taught and embodied. Selfish ambition is like an evil magnet that constantly tries to pull us off the path into the ditch.
Fixing what’s wrong with our government and some religious institutions is above my pay grade, but when I stray from my core values and mission and come down with “swamp fever,” that’s on me.
Thankfully, I know the cure is found in God’s word: “… lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus … (Hebrews 12:1-1).”