I find this exercise helpful, especially for the guys who dabble with fantasy, pornography and masturbation, who think they will never cross the line as they pave their way on the road to trouble.  I say to them, let’s just suppose you did fornicate or commit adultery.  First, I have you list all the people it would affect if they found out.  This list should include past, present and future.  People you grew up with, friends, family members, children, grandchildren, coworkers past, present, and future, neighbors, pastors, church members, people you ministered to and so on.  This list can easily get to a hundred people especially when you think that each of them will be telling their friends and hairdressers.  If you didn’t already list them, I have you add Jesus and God to the list.

Then take each person and imagine two things.  First, imagine how they would feel the moment they heard the news of your falling.  They might feel sad, mad, disappointed, betrayed, defrauded, conned, insignificant, and unimportant.  Second, write down the consequences you might have in your life because of your behavior.  Your consequences may be financial because your business was impacted, unable to go to college, loss of respect from your son, STD’s, or unwanted pregnancies.

That’s the power of one man’s decision.  It’s helpful to see the mega impact your decision can have.  With knowing that the impact of me falling would not be placed just on people close to me, it helps me desire to protect them from that pain and stay away from the road to trouble.