It was real sadness that I listened to news of Governor Mark Sanford of South Carolina’s affair with a woman the press is referring to as, Maria. Sadness for many reasons. One because of how publicly betrayed his wife must feel. Two, a huge ache as a mom for her four boys but three, for the man himself. I would imagine that if he could turn back the pages of time, he would but that opportunity is never available to any of us. We must live with the choices we have made. There is something in us as humans that is fascinated by the failures of others. Perhaps we think by reviling them that we remove ourselves from the arena of the fallen, as if by judging their demons we exorcise our own. It is usually true that those who are the most vocal about a particular sin dance just a few steps ahead of it in their own lives. To me, this is not a time to judge or to condone. It is a time to get on our knees and ask for mercy and grace. Let’s pray for this family. Whatever the long-term outcome, they are all in pain. Let’s ask for mercy for ourselves that when we find ourselves confronted by moments that could detrimentally change our lives forever we will find God’s strength to walk away.