To Speak, or Not to Speak

Again, I’m no expert/not perfect and it’s not an “I’m great, look at me” note, just some suggestions.

I have a woman at work that tells me, “Unless you have something intelligent to add to the conversation, be quiet”. I tell her that if that were the case I’d never be allowed to speak.

Sometimes silence is the best response to a false charge. At other times we must speak up.

A few years back, there were some people who made several false charges against me. The human side of me wanted to lash out and respond and it took much prayer for me to refrain from returning the attack made on me, especially with the past I’ve had. I responded with kindness and tried to correct the mis-statements against me, but some people decided that the statements must have been true and sided with the people making the false charges against me. There wasn’t anything I could gain by arguing, so I decided to do my best to keep my thoughts and opinions on the situation to myself. After all, what more harm could be done by allowing them to continually spew their statements? If people were going to believe them, there wasn’t anything I could do or say that would change their mind.

When Jesus was meeting with the Sanhedrin, the “Supreme Court” of ancient Israel, there were some false witnesses accusing Him. As He stood before them, He “kept silent” (Mark 14:53-61). Also in His case, defending Himself would have been pointless. Furthermore, He was fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah 53:7. However, earlier in His ministry, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees, challenging them to prove that He had sinned (John 8:13-59).

Many a pastor has resigned from their church because a few members made untrue statements about him. Some thought it unchristian to defend themselves, and in some instances it is. But in some cases, the troublemakers need to be confronted and their false charges refuted. In these cases, the pastors should have urged the members to repent or face church discipline.

Saying nothing may allow wrongdoers to go unchallenged in their evil ways. But if God’s Spirit leads us to remain silent, or if we want merely to try to salvage our wounded pride, then we should hold our tongue.

Are you being falsely accused? If you discern that it’s futile to argue, or if your pride has been hurt, ask God for grace to say nothing. But if you feel concern for the wrongdoers and want to see justice done, speak up!

Since the incident of mine a few years ago, there have been several people come to me and apologize for being deceived and for their treatment of me. There are some who never will. Pride, arrogance, and ignorance all play a part in the process of forgiveness. All I can do is reconcile with those seeking to, and pray for the one’s who chose not to reconcile. Having them ask for forgiveness is not up to me and it’s something I have no control over. If they never apologize to me, I’ll still make it through life and not really miss anything. I am accountable for me, not them.

How we respond to false accusers can have an impact on our testimony, our outlook on life, and even our personality. Do we want to look as vengeful and combative, or do we want to be looked on as someone who displays the attitude and love of Christ.

There is an old statement from many years ago that still holds true, “Silence can be valuable; don’t break it unless you can improve on it”.
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Mark 14:53-61 (New King James Version)


Jesus Faces the Sanhedrin
And they led Jesus away to the high priest; and with him were assembled all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes. But Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire.

Now the chief priests and all the council sought testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none. For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree.

Then some rose up and bore false witness against Him, saying, “We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.’” But not even then did their testimony agree.

And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, saying, “Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?” But He kept silent and answered nothing.

Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?”

Isaiah 53:7 (NKJV)

Yet He opened not His mouth;
He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,
So He opened not His mouth.

John 8:13-59 (NKJV)

Jesus Defends His Self-Witness

The Pharisees therefore said to Him, “You bear witness of Yourself; Your witness is not true.”

Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going. You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me. It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me.”

Then they said to Him, “Where is Your Father?”

Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.”

These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one laid hands on Him, for His hour had not yet come.

Then Jesus said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.”

So the Jews said, “Will He kill Himself, because He says, ‘Where I go you cannot come’?”

And He said to them, “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

Then they said to Him, “Who are You?”

And Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning. I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.”

They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.

Then Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.” As He spoke these words, many believed in Him.

Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”

Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

Abraham’s Seed and Satan’s

Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. You do the deeds of your father.”

Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father—God.”

Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”

Then the Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?”

Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges. Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.”

Then the Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.’ Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?”

Jesus answered, “If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God. Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”

Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?”

Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”

Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.