Take a Stance

Proverbs 24:12 & 23 - 25 the Message
12 If you say, "Hey, that's none of my business," will that get you off the hook? Someone is watching you closely, you know - Someone not impressed with weak excuses.
23 It's wrong, very wrong, to go along with injustice. 24 Whoever whitewashes the wicked gets a black mark in the history books, 25 But whoever exposes the wicked will be thanked and rewarded. 


Proverbs 24:12 & 23 - 25  NLT
12 Don't excuse yourself by saying, "Look, we didn't know." For God understands all hearts, and he sees you. He who guards your soul knows you knew. He will repay all people as their actions deserve.
23 Here are some further sayings of the wise: It is wrong to show favoritism when passing judgement. 24 A judge who says to the wicked, "You are innocent," will be cursed by many people and denounced by the nations. 25 But it will go well for those who convict the guilty; rich blessings will be showered on them.



I hear this excuse from people who are just finding out or who have known for a while about the physical, sexual, & emotional abuse that hundreds of people have testified to by the leaders of CCK - "Well, I was not there. How do I know it really happened", "I didn't see it with my own eyes so I can't take a side on the matter", "It's really none of my business since that isn't my personal experience with the leaders" and on and on it goes. I have learned that these people think that by staying (with their words) "out of it" that they will not be held responsible or accountable in any way. 


It was never my experience to be a part of slavery but I know by the testimony of others that it happened and I believe it to be wrong. Therefore I take a stance on the issue... slavery is wrong. I wasn't present when my husband was abused by his father but I hear his memories and the pain and I know it happened. Therefore I take a stance on the issue... his dad and the abuse is wrong. I wasn't present when Bill Clinton inappropriately entered into a sexual relationship with Monica Lewinsky but I heard her testimony and believed it to be true. Therefore I take a stance on the issue... his sexual misconduct is wrong. Come to find out, after lying to all of America over and over, he admitted what he had done and in fact her testimony was right.


Why is it then, when we hear some one reveal the truth of the sexual, physical, or emotional abuse suffered at the hands of religious leaders we immediately discredit what they are saying and make excuses for ourselves to not have to believe what is being spoken? Why is it that we think pastors or church leaders are immune from this kind of sin? Why do we want to take a neutral stance and say, in essence by doing so, that we don't believe or support the person coming forward with the pain and misery of the abuse they received at the hands of these leaders?


I think the verses at the top of this post make it very clear that all of us will be judged on what we know and even what we say we didn't know. The Holy Spirit is alive and speaking and if you honestly want to know the truth... ask. Ask if these people (anonymously or not) have any reason to make these things up. Ask if it's possible that they could indeed be true. Ask to have your conscious prompted on what you should do in response to these testimonies. I believe that the Holy Spirit wants to reveal to each of us what we are to do and where the truth lies. I think more often than not we don't really want to know. We don't want to take a stance. We want to say "I didn't know" or "I wasn't there". Please realize this kind of a response will not keep you from responsibility on judgement day. The Holy Spirit is alive and will show you the truth in these testimonies if you are really wanting to know.