Guilty Until proven innocent

Do you ever have one of those days where it seems all you do is “contemplate”?

Today was one of those days. As of late I have been weighed down in spirit due to an opposing spirit. It seems no matter what I do this individual sees it as wrong in their eyes. In my Christian walk thus far I have not been aware of just how powerful and dark this oppressive spirit is.

I have recently become aware of a peculiar thing: it seems that when a person spreads lies or rumors about you, those accusations, although unfounded are readily believed. Before there is an opportunity to address the accusations the victim of said slander is found guilty and someone is calling for a rope.

Why is it that the innocent has the burden of proving the accusations false, rather then the reverse?

I talked with God today about this ungodly attitude being in the church. I contemplated the dozen or so pastors I know of who have been hurt by one or two individuals in the church. I thought about my brethren who had moved their families into a town or city to fill the role of pasturing the local church. All was fine until somehow the pastor offends someone in the fellowship and it is war! No discussion, no chance for peace - it is all out war!

A dark spirit comes over an individual (usually a women) and they are used by the powers of darkness to press against the pastoral leadership in an attempt to crush them. Lies are spread, accusations arise, camps are formed, division follows, the pastor’s family is forced out and the devil puts another notch on his pitch fork.

I asked God to show me what is going on. It is funny how God answers. Friday nights we take care of our grandkids, so down into the basement I went for a video. As I passed by the book case (do this a lot) a book seemed to jump out at me. It was a 1918 Edition of Aesop’s Fables. I took it upstairs with me. I made a tea and carefully thumbed the pages. The following fable is what I read….

The Wolf and the Lamb
WOLF, meeting with a Lamb astray from the fold, resolved not to lay violent hands on him, but to find some plea to justify to the Lamb the Wolf's right to eat him. He thus addressed him: "Sirrah, last year you grossly insulted me." "Indeed," bleated the Lamb in a mournful tone of voice, "I was not then born." Then said the Wolf, "You feed in my pasture." "No, good sir," replied the Lamb, "I have not yet tasted grass." Again said the Wolf, "You drink of my well." "No," exclaimed the Lamb, "I never yet drank water, for as yet my mother's milk is both food and drink to me." Upon which the Wolf seized him and ate him up, saying, "Well! I won't remain supperless, even though you refute every one of my imputations."

The tyrant will always find a pretext for his tyranny, and it is useless for the innocent to try by reasoning to get justice, when the oppressor intends to be unjust.

As they say, I’ll let you do the math. Even though I don’t know what to do, perhaps knowing the spirit behind it will help. May God have mercy on those who have caused heartache and grief for pastors and their families. May God have mercy on the church that caused my dear friend and pastor to have a nervous break down and leave the ministry. Perhaps we are living in the framework of John 16:2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yes, the time will come, that whosoever kills you will think that they are doing God service.

Too bad we couldn't live in I Thessalonians 5:13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves.