Cheating seems to be so prevalent today that the question isn’t who is cheating but rather – who isn’t?
Too many treat their most important relationships casually and their commitments as optional. Our microwave mentality (quick and easy) has infiltrated our most sacred institution: marriage.
If you have entertained the idea of cheating on your spouse or significant other, let this serve as your official warning. Your handsome boss, cute office secretary or sultry neighbor down the street comes with a price tag that you cannot afford.
Before you cheat here are 9 things you really need to know:
1. You will become a liar
It’s bad enough to bear the title of “Cheater,” but if you cheat, you will also wear the hat of “Liar.” Cheating cannot occur without deceit on some level and normally the white lies in the beginning become full-fledged lies at the end.
“I’m working late at the office tonight” may be a half-truth but you’ll need to redefine the word “working” to silence your compromised conscience. Cheating and lying go hand in hand.
2. You will get caught
It may not be today or tomorrow. But eventually, your affair will come to light. Your world will come crashing down on you. If you are fortunate, the story of your indiscretion may avoid the evening news or the front page of your local paper, but your circle of friends will know your deeds.
3. You will disappoint everyone
Everyone. Your spouse. Your friends. Your co-workers. Your parents. Your nephew. Your children. God. Yourself.
4. You will lose your moral authority
It’s hard to tell your children (or others) to do the right thing when they know you didn’t. Saying “Do as I say, not as I do” is the fastest way to lose the respect of others.
Not only will you lose their respect, you’ll lose yours. Every moral judgment you make in the future will be weighed against your cheating action of the past. It doesn’t mean you can’t speak the truth in the future, it just means that few will listen to you.
5. You will create trust issues for your spouse
Forever. You will single-handedly damage the precious self-esteem of the one you promised to love. Every relationship they have after you will be one that they struggle to trust.
If that were not enough, you will rock the world of children and cause them to question the stability of every meaningful relationship they have. For children, their parents relationship is their anchor and cheating cuts the line.
6. You will lose your standard of living
Depending on what you do for a living, you may lose your job. Many lose their home. Most end up with enormous court fees since cheating is usually the precursor to divorce.
Betrayed spouses have a way of making you pay and that payment is always expensive. Every check you write is a constant reminder of your foolishness.
7. You will spend years trying to rebuild your life
Literally years. Even if you somehow weathered the storm financially, you will find it takes years for you to recover emotionally. It takes years for you to restore certain friendships, if you even do.
It takes years for you to rebuild your character. It takes years to rebuild trust. It takes years to truly forgive yourself.
8. You will lose relationships
You will lose a lot of relationships. Lifelong friends will walk away. Close friends that you have helped countless times will not be around to help you. Even some family members who are supposed to love you no matter what will vanish.
A cheater can end up living a very lonely life. It’s hard for many people who used to call you friend to get past that skunk smell of disappointment.
9. You will increase your chances of getting an STD
Sexually transmitted diseases run rampant among promiscuous people. But your paramour is “clean,” right? After all, they told you so. And if there is one thing we all know – we can trust a cheater and their word.
As the saying goes, “There is honor among thieves.” One helpful thought may be to assume that everyone but your spouse has an STD. That should curb your appetite for destruction.
