When explorers Lewis & Clark blazed a trail across the American wilderness they brought along a French guide and his Shoshone wife, Sacajawea. Every night the guide offered his wife to the men for a price and every night they refused. Eventually, needing supplies, they asked the chief of a nearby Indian tribe for help. Through Sacajawea, he replied, “No. White man lie and cheat.”

Just then the guide’s wife spoke up and said, “These men are different. They keep their promises to their wives back home.” After hearing how they’d refused to commit adultery, the chief gave Lewis & Clark their supplies. Shortly thereafter they crossed the Great Divide and claimed the Northwest. But their biggest accomplishment wasn’t new territory – it was character! Jesus said, “From…out of a person’s heart, come…sexual immorality…adultery…eagerness for lustful pleasure…they…defile you and make you unacceptable to God” (Mark 7:21-23 NLT).

When God said, “Do not commit adultery,” he intended husbands and wives to be faithful to each other. Character doesn’t come out in the wash.

Tags: adultery, character, Lewis & Clark