Yes...but

Yes, her morals have been compromised.  Yes, she broke her marriage vows.  Yes, she used her position as mayor in unwise ways.  Yes, she appropriated city money for her own benefit.  Yes, her decision-making is highly questionable.  Yes, it is possible, had the whole sordid thing not been discovered, she would not have confessed.  Yes, it is likely, had she not made a deal to stay out of jail, she would not have resigned.  Yes, two families have been publicly humiliated.  Yes, our city has been in the news for less than stellar reasons.  Yes, I believe she needed to resign. Yes, it is all true.

But, I hope focusing on her moral failures does not blind us to our own.  But, I hope those of us who are married understand there are many ways other than sex outside of marriage to break marriage vows.  But, I hope each of us looks into how we might be using our position at work, at church, at school, and in our homes in questionable ways.  But, I hope we ask ourselves how we use money to pamper and benefit ourselves when a wiser choice would be to use it for the common good.  But, I hope we understand that not all our decisions are brilliant.  But, I hope we recognize that which we have done that might need confessing but will remain hidden unless pressure comes to bear.

I did not vote for Mayor Barry.  She has not been a sympathetic protagonist in my mind.  But, my heart aches for her. She has lost a son to drug addiction.  She has lost her marriage.  She has lost her job.  She has lost face.  Finding pleasure in her pain, especially for those of us who claim to follow Jesus, is hypocrisy at its most profound.