Devil in Sheep's Clothing

It's really not difficult for me to understand why so many people, particularly Americans, think that being a Christian is a sham.  The hypocrisy runs rampant, and I too am guilty of saying one thing and doing another.  However, with the recent scandal involving former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky and reports of over 40 claims of sexual abuse, I can see their reasoning, so much so, I feel nauseous. 

There are few words to describe a pedophile in my mind other than the closest thing to being the devil himself.  And that's the irony, but also the obviousness, of a pedophile.  They are manipulative, charming, and deceptive.  They are a walking facade, often times and as in this case, leading a life that others look at with envy.  He was outrageously successful in his career, even being inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 1999.  He is married to a seemingly lovely woman, Dottie, who in all past and present news articles is supportive of her husband.  This man is so respected, so revered by his community now and those in his past, people are unbelieving to these reports.  But the biggest kicker:  he was the founder of a home for troubled boys he dubbed "The Second Mile."  The charity's name came from the one of his favorite collections of moral lessons: Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, specifically from Matthew 5:41: "And whosoever shall compel thee to go one mile, go with him two."  People saw him as a saint of sorts, taking in these poor, innocent children, giving them a home...a family of sorts.  A life.  But what he was really doing...destroying them.

I've written about troubles and trials, funny things, sad things, marriage and simply put, life in general.  None of those things matter compared to the gravity of a child's life being completely obliterated by the devastation of sexual molestation, abuse, indecency, or incest.  A child can sense that evil much better than we as adults can, and that's often why the adults are tricked into believing predators are "good" people.  That's what prompted me to write on this today.  Driving to work the radio announcer was talking about how his daughter is beginning sports and how is he to know?  How do you ever know the people you are leaving your children with...and for long periods...won't hurt them?  This is a scary world we live in, made scarier by the fact that these people that hurt children ARE the supposed "good" people in your life.  Now, please don't mistake this for me telling you that you should run out and grab your child from your husband's college buddy while he gives your daughter a hug, but I am saying this:  be aware. 

Of course the most troubling part of this entire situation is the abuse of the boys and the scars they will have to wear, and now, reopen as the trial moves forward; but the 2nd most troubling part of all this is the fact that some of the highest ranking individuals at Penn State didn't say a thing.  They even went so far as to cover certain things up when someone DID try to report it!  HOW????  HOW I ask you, can these people sleep at night, KNOWING what this man was doing?  This is the point I am making with be aware:  Predators and pedophiles lurk everywhere, from the obvious to powerful football coaches at successful colleges.  I don't even have children yet but I have seen the damage that sexual abuse can take on a person's life.  For the sake of my future children, my eyes are open.  For those of you that have already been hurt by this horrific thing, always remember, despite his evil ways in the use of the Lord to find these children, it is ultimately the Lord that will heal you...but also be the Maker that Jerry Sandusky and every pedophile must meet upon their end.