Sins of Commission and Omission

Good leaders abhor wrongdoing of all kinds; sound leadership has a moral foundation. Good leaders cultivate honest speech; they love advisers who tell them the truth. - Proverbs 16:12-13 (The Message)

With what has come to light over the last day or so about one of the new leadership in our country I got to reflecting on the topic of sin and in particular sins of commission and omission and their impact on trust and what they have to say about moral character.

First what is a sin? I believe sin is something that harms your connection with God, self, others, and creation. It is something you have done or said that adversely affects others. It is also the things you don’t do or say when refraining from saying or doing harms those same connections. Sins of commission are those sins that we commit that we know were wrong and that we regret doing or saying. Sins of omission are the things we fail to say or do that we also know are wrong but that we really don’t regret because we think we get away with them. These are like being asked if you had any contact with Russian officials during the campaign and you answer “no” because you are thinking that the question had to do with contact as a part of the campaign when you were in touch because of another role you fulfill. You know the intent of the question but you think by omitting the information you have done nothing wrong because you weren’t in contact because of the campaign.

It is very easy to fall into this trap of sins of omission. We humans like to play the game of “You didn’t ask me that specifically.” You know how it goes, you more than likely played it when you were younger, maybe a teenager and your folks asked you a question and because it wasn’t specific enough you gave an answer they would want to hear instead of owning up to the reality that you were guilty. Technicalities are what we call them and boy are we good at working them when it saves our bacon. The problem with using technicalities is that when it becomes obvious that you did it, or knew it, or were aware of it your morals and ethics become suspect. People can’t trust that what you say and do fits with who you are and what you profess. In some ways, I think these sins of omission are much more damaging than sins of commission.

When I have sinned and I own up to it and pledge to do better I am showing my true self. I am admitting my flaws and shortcomings and promising to do better. My moral and ethical self is reflected in my willingness to admit my sin and to sincerely try and do better. When I have sinned because of conscious omission I have already brought into question my morals and ethics. To let a technicality supersede my truthful owning up to something is to make myself suspect. I have violated trust because I have deliberately chosen to use that technicality knowing that it will free me from omitting what I have done and suffering any consequences of that action.

When someone lets themselves off the hook in these ways and they are found out we can’t help but ask, “What else aren’t they telling us? What others questions did they skirt because of a technicality? Why should I believe them next time?” And this is why I think sins of omission are more damaging. They break the bond of trust and force you to reexamine the sinner to see where else they might have omitted what they should have owned. Entering into a contract with someone knowing that you will not fulfill your part is a sin of omission. Calculating the risk and cost of cutting a corner and finding that risk and cost acceptable is a sin of omission. Attacking the character of another to deflect scrutiny of yourself is a sin of omission.

I want someone who has done something wrong, immoral, or unethical to admit it and promise to do better. I don’t want someone who has done something wrong to find a loophole or a technicality so that they don’t have to admit the wrongdoing claiming innocence. When they do I must question everything else they have said and done and I cannot trust them in the future. It is a simple as that. Sin, admit it and promise to do better shows some moral and ethical commitment. Fail to say or do something or say or do something but find a way to not have to own saying or doing it shows lack of moral character and questionable ethics and lose my trust.

God, help me to own up to my sin. Help me to say and do what you need me to say and do everywhere and every time. And when I fail forgive me and help me do better next time. Amen.