I
once read about in one of Richard Wurmbrand’s books.
“An
elder of a local free Church in Communist Romania was brought before
the judge for embezzlement - a crime he had not committed.
His defense lawyer started his defense plea by telling the Court of a
well known story about the man that was circulating around the
village.
One
day, the man had been attacked while he was taking the church
collection home to bank the next day and the thieves made off with
all the money.
Fearing
for the eternal souls of the thieves, the elder called after them,
“ You
haven’t stolen the church collection, which I have at home, you
have only taken my money and I give it to you freely.”
The
Judge stopped the defense lawyer and said: “You don’t seriously
believe that nonsense do you?”
The defense lawyer replied: “No”
“Then
why are you bringing it up in my court” the judge growled.
The defense lawyer replied: “My Lord, if someone had tried to start a rumor like that about you or me, it would never have got off the
ground.
The
very fact that this rumor could even get off the ground is a
testimony to my client’s character.”
That’s
the same sort of character that Jesus wants his followers to have.
God
is concerned about what is on the inside of us and not on the
externals.
