Monday Morning Munch No. 51 – Defenses Raised

Sometimes things happen that infuriate me. 

A starving Somali child is given water in Baidoa December 15, 1992. REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis

Bad guys get away.

Someone gets the praise for another’s work.

Approximately 125,000 abortions take place everyday, while infertile parents are begging God for a baby.

Drunk drivers live while their victims die.

There are 153 million orphans in the world.

In 2011 Americans spent $584 billion on “Christmas” while only $20 billion a year would give the whole world clean water.

Twenty-seven percent of the world’s children grow up without a father. Twenty-eight million of them live in America.

I hope we can all agree that these injustices are wrong and repulsive.

We can get riled up and speak out for justice; some even give their lives to defending the causes of others.

However, when unjust circumstances happen to us, we get a little more into the defense.

Perhaps we’re falsely accused of a crime we didn’t commit.

We want to clear our name, defend our virtue, state our case and emerge victorious. 

Duh.

It’s our nature to defend ourselves and make sure the world knows we’re innocent, above reproach and worthy of respect, admiration and praise.

The thing is… that’s not at all how Jesus did it.

The sinless Savior stood before Pilate as the crowds around them shouted cruel and ridiculously false statements about Jesus, the One who was about to purchase their pardon, and this is how it went down:

“Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?” But He gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.” (Matthew 27:13-14)

Jesus didn’t defend Himself.

The greatest Man to ever walk this earth, the very same One who created it, who had every right to argue His perfection and unjust trial, opened not His mouth.

“He was oppressed, and He was afflicted,
yet He opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so He opened not his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:7)

He still didn’t defend Himself as He hung on the cross and the crowd mocked Him cruelly (Matt. 27:40-43).

What an example for my eager-to-defend-itself heart. 

I have so much to learn.

Praise Jesus for His patience and glorious example, may we choose to follow it.