Dethroned WorldCom CEO Bernie Ebbers attended a Baptist college in Mississippi, although he claimed during his unsuccessful legal defense that his grades "weren't too good."

Apparently he didn't spend much time cracking the Good Book either. The lesson in Matthew 16:25 - "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?" - might have saved him from conviction on multiple fraud counts.

As he stressed during his trial, Ebbers donated generously to charity, contributing $100 million to causes including his church and college. He even taught Sunday school, ultimately becoming a living example of the non-Gospel "do as I say and not as I do."

Ebbers' ability to compartmentalize his life into a part in which the teachings of Christ mattered and a part in which guidance came from a much less enlightened source sadly is not unique, even for people who have been afforded exceptional blessings.

Four words: Bill Clinton, Tom DeLay.

The former president's experiences in this realm have been well documented. He even bragged about his uncanny knack for keeping his "worlds" separate, that his "personal" problems had no effect on his ability to govern.

Some career coaches actually have adopted this as advice to clients: "Do what Bill Clinton does" - keep the personal out of the professional.

But what if the "personal" is the better nature of the being? You get a Tom DeLay, whose contradictory character is no less troubling than that of the former president's.

DeLay's work in assisting children in foster care, much of it done beyond the glare of the spotlight, has garnered him accolades from child advocacy organizations nationwide. The House majority leader and his wife, Christine, do more than just talk the talk: They were foster parents to three now grown children.

Dr. Kurt Senske, president and CEO of Lutheran Social Services of the South Inc., which provides adoption, foster care and residential treatment for children in Texas and Louisiana, quotes DeLay in his book on how applying Christian values in the workplace supports long-term organization success.

"It is your Christian principles and values that provide you the foundation to do well," DeLay told Senske in an August 2001 interview for the book.

"Executive Values" was published in the spring of 2003, before the full litany of questions had been unveiled about DeLay's possible ethical lapses, which include collecting corporate donations for political action committee use and accepting international travel from an organization registered as a foreign agent - a no-no under House rules.

I was curious as to how Senske, who, from my experience of watching his work with LSSS, brings his Christian faith to the office every day, can reconcile the Tom DeLay in the book with the Tom DeLay whose political practices have raised so many alarms.

"My relationship with Congressman DeLay is purely on children's issues," Senske said in a recent telephone interview. "He and his wife are so committed. It's good for children to have partnership on those issues. I can't comment on the politics."

Senske's avoidance of the question might cause one to ask whether he isn't participating in a little compartmentalizing himself. He would be the first to say that his organization has benefited greatly from DeLay's legislative work on behalf of abused and foster children. He lauds DeLay the humanitarian; he doesn't want to contemplate DeLay the politician.

He changes the direction of the discussion.

"All of us as leaders need to ask the question, whether it's about personal values or corporate values, 'Would your mother approve, would your pastor approve of what you are doing?'" Senske said.

Alas, all humans - including mothers and pastors - are sinners, subject to temptation and too often failing to resist. When the temptation is political power, worldly fame and wealth, often the most willing of spirits find the flesh is weak.

Perhaps the life lessons here come not from Ebbers' multi-count convictions or DeLay's crumbling political capital. They were taught by a carpenter who had no need to compartmentalize his "worlds" because he knew he was not of this one.

"Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own?" - Luke 6:41

"I do not condemn you. Go and sin no more." - John 8:11