Kangaroo Court
Our courts are to be about justice and truth. Sometimes it appears to me that our court system is a joke. When criminals are freed because of technicality instead of truth, it seems a bit absurd to me. The evidence can be absolutely airtight and if it was collected wrongly, it gets thrown out. Then on the other side, it seems that some can be condemned with circumstantial evidence. I know the system is not fair, but it’s worked for the most part. A Kangaroo Court is “an unofficial court put together by a group of people who want to condemn a person without sufficient evidence.”
Paul was accused of stuff that couldn’t be proved, but because powerful leaders accused him, their words seemed to out weigh the truth. That’s why I think it was like a “Kangaroo Court”. Check this out…
7 When Paul came in, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him. They brought many serious charges against him, but they could not prove them. 8 Then Paul made his defense: “I have done nothing wrong against the Jewish law or against the temple or against Caesar.” 9 Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?” 10 Paul answered: “I am now standing before Caesar’s court, where I ought to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well. 11 If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!” (Acts 25:7-11 NIV)
I think Paul started seeing the “cards stacked” against him. He had to follow the lead of the Holy Spirit and also simple survival. If he had been sent to Jerusalem, he would have most likely been killed as they were planning an ambush. As I study the life and journey of Paul, he was bold and brave. He wasn’t afraid of death, but he really didn’t want to be stupid either. I think he was following the lead of the Holy Spirit because the Lord wanted him to go to Rome. The Lord had lots more work to do in him and through him. I want to be bold and brave in my faith and have the courage to walk out my faith even in the midst of trying circumstances. Following the Lord is the most important work I can do.
Pressing On! Dwayne