Excerpt from John 8: 12-18

"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, 'I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'  The Pharisees challenged him, 'Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.'  Jesus answered… 'You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one.  But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone.  I stand with [God], who sent me.  In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid.  I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is [God], who sent me.'"  (NIV)

Reflection by Kenneth L. Samuel

Sometimes I think that integrity—the confidence of inner truth—is in danger of becoming extinct.  So much of what we do is designed to win the appeasement and applause of the crowd.  In fact, pastors and public officials who serve at the public’s pleasure cannot afford to be totally oblivious to popular opinion.  I suspect that all of us could admit that we constantly weigh our decisions and actions on the scale of public opinion.  Even Jesus asked, on one occasion, ”Who do people say that I am?”

There is a vast difference, however, between knowing what people think about you and being governed by what people think about you.  Those who prostrate themselves on the altar of popularity are mere reflectors of the status quo and cannot lead people into new vistas of freedom and justice.  Someone has observed that in order to lead an orchestra, you must at some point turn your back to the crowd.

Jesus was informed, but never defined, by people’s perceptions.  His detractors tried to invalidate his identity and his mission through the myopic lenses of their own biases.  But Jesus called his soul and his God to bear witness to his testimony.  In the face of immense adversity, Jesus stood steadfastly on his own integrity.  In being true to himself and true to his God, he showed all of us how to live without losing ourselves.

Prayer

Dear God, please help us not to give away too much of ourselves in order to gain the applause of others.  Help us to live out the truth that you have placed in us, with faith and courage.  Amen.

About the Author Kenneth L. Samuel is Pastor of Victory for the World Church, Stone Mountain, Georgia.

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