One of the Desert Fathers was asked for some wisdom about sin.  The holy man thought about this for a moment and then replied. “The most important thing I have ever learned about sin I learned from my own father many years ago.  We went out to a local river to fish.  As we sat along the banks of the river fishing, I began to be filled with many questions.  As I asked each question my father would give me some very stupid answers as well as some very wise answers. One of his wise answers comes to mind now as you ask me for a teaching about sin.

  My question and his answer will tell you all you need to known about dealing with sin.  Here is the question I asked my father: “Father, if I fall off this river bank, will I drown?” My father’s reply was quite wise: “No, son,” said my father. “It isn’t falling in that causes you to drown: it’s staying in that causes you to drown.”

     The Desert Father concluded his remarks about sin by saying, “Falling into sin will not kill your soul, staying in it will. Falling in is one thing, staying in is quite another. I suggest that you be aware of this fact as you make your choices in life.”

     That is pretty good advice, don’t you think?