Diamonds and Pearls: The Witness Stand

Most times, when you hear of a witness stand, you think of a court room with those involved in either a criminal or civil proceeding. While attorney’s may call to the witness stand those that are able to either confirm or disavow an accusation brought against someone, inevitably (in most cases), the attorney will eventually call to the witness stand the one that has been accused. And it is in that moment that the entire court room is looking upon the accused; looks of either condemnation, false accusation, or justification will be present. The unfortunate thing about this is that it is often said that the accused is innocent until proven guilty. However, we live in a world that often preconditions jurors or onlookers to believe that the accused is actually guilty before all of the evidence has truly been presented, thus setting the jurors vision to filter everything he or she sees or hears through the eyes and ears of an already guilty verdict. 

This witness stand that I refer to is not one that you would typically think of. I am not referring to the one that you see on television, or the one in the main courthouse in your local city. But I am referring to the witness stand that is characterized by a season in your life when people have spoken prematurely about you, brought about accusations without any true credibility, and sought to impose and exercise a verdict that they themselves would not be able to live with. It’s this season where your actions are misconstrued, what you said is twisted, your pure intentions are considered tainted, and your love walk is tempted. 

It is with this understanding that I call YOU to the witness stand. Yes my dear sister or brother. I call you to the witness stand. I don’t call you to the witness stand as one to confirm or disavow an accusation against someone else although you may have very well been called to the stand for this reason in times past. This time is different. I call you to the witness stand because many have gone before you to speak about you as the accuser. 

So now, you may be wondering how do you win? How do you win a fight, or win a case that has already been set against you? How do you change the minds of the jurors or onlookers when the case has been fixed? In legal terms or phrases, this is referred to as “padding a case.” How do you repudiate an accusation when the players involved have padded your case? The answer, although is presented with extreme simplicity, is yet extremely powerful and thus complicated for many. The answer is to simply present the truth.  Understand that the truth will be the truth, even if people including yourself, do not believe it. One of my absolute favorite scriptures that I have many times dined on when feasting on the word of God is found in Romans 3:3-4 as it says, “For what if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.” While I understand that this scripture has many more exegetical implications than what I am trying to say to you in this moment, I want you to understand the undertone of the insignificance of the lack of belief that others may have in your life. 

As you are on the witness stand listening to the prosecutor paint a picture on the canvas of your life of who you are not, allow the fruit of who you really are to be your defense. Let your life do the talking and not you. The integrity of who are will leave much more of a lasting affect and ultimately effect the positive establishment of your credibility. The truth doesn’t need you to defend it. And your critics will never openly admit their premature judgment. But your supporters will be rooting for you without wavering with great solidarity. 

“Truth stands alone. Honor needs no defense. My critics never believed me. And my friends need no explanation.” ~ Unknown