Excerpt from Acts 25: 1-12

"Now if I am in the wrong and have committed something for which I deserve to die, I am not trying to escape death; but if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can turn me over to them. I appeal to the emperor."

Reflection by Christina Villa

Being falsely accused of wrongdoing is a miserable experience for anyone, and acutely so for children.  If you want to see indignant, blame a 7-year-old for something he didn't do.  Maybe the reason kids get so infuriated is that they have no court of appeal. Parents, baby-sitters, teachers, and principals are the Supreme Court justices of childhood. To be accused is to be convicted.

Paul was sophisticated enough to know that he needed a change of venue before he faced the charges against him. He spoke up on his own behalf and was allowed an appeal to a higher court. Today, of course, Paul would call his lawyer.  Unless he couldn't afford one, and then, if he lived in this country, he'd be appointed a public defender.

Public defenders are often looked at askance by the public.  How can they defend all those obviously guilty people? (A question not as frequently asked of celebrity criminal defense attorneys.)  There may not be a saint like Paul among the accused who find themselves in a public defender’s office, but who knows?  There are certainly at least a few now and then who are falsely accused.
The falsely accused have truth on their side, but that's clearly not enough. The 7-year-old doesn't know this yet. Often, religious people call for justice as if it were simply a matter of pointing out the truth.  Paul knew a lot better than that.   

Prayer

Dear God, watch over those who are being blamed for something they didn't do and strengthen those who defend them.  Amen.

About the Author Christina Villa is on the staff of the United Church of Christ in Cleveland, Ohio.

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