Yes, it does get discouraging to read about these scandals – particularly when they tell about people who have betrayed the trust that others have placed in them. We’ve always had scandals – but they do seem to be getting worse.

What is the problem? The problem is we’ve forgotten God – and because we’ve forgotten God, we’ve forgotten His moral laws. When we turn our backs on Him and put ourselves at the center of our lives, we ignore His rules for living and set up our own standards, doing whatever we think we can get by with.

Take, for example, the greed that is behind so many of our financial scandals today (and other scandals, as well). The Bible warns us to avoid greed, and labels it as a terrible sin in the eyes of God. One of the Ten Commandments, in fact, deals with greed and covetousness: “You shall not covet … anything that belongs to your neighbor” (Exodus 20:17). How different our headlines would be if we truly followed those words!

Are these scandals a sign of Christ’s coming? They may well be. The Bible warns that in the last days “People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive” (2 Timothy 3:2). Don’t let these things touch you, however, but put Christ first and make it your goal to live for Him every day.