Chances are that you have had to bear the consequences of somebody else's actions.  It's bad when our actions affect ourselves, but it's even worse when they affect other people.  Unfortunately, the sin of Achan cost a lot of lives for the Israelites, and there's a great lesson that we can learn here.

So often sin isn't as personal as we think.  Nobody knows this better than the children of alcoholics or the person whose spouse has an affair.  But isn't that the great lie that Satan tells us in the moment: that our sins will only affect us.  The next time you have to make a choice, begin by thinking about what the consequences of your actions will be and how they will affect other people.  Our lives are intertwined with each other, and your sins don't just follow you – they follow those you care about, as well.