Daily Lesson for February 7, 2014

Today's Daily Lesson is from Psalm 69 verse 6:

"Let not those who hope in you be put to shame through me,
O Lord God of hosts;
let not those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me,
O God of Israel."

This is the prayer of a person caught up in a storm of scorn and reproach.  It is the prayer of one who has been lied on and falsely accused.  It is the prayer of the Godly who fear dishonor might come upon the LORD as a result of the mischaracterization.  It is a prayer for rescue - for ultimate vindication.

This is a prayer of David, we are told. It is also a prayer of Jesus.  And perhaps it is your prayer also.

Unfortunately, it is not a prayer that is always answered.  Yes, of course, in the age to come all truth will be revealed and the righteous will be made known; but that's not what I'm talking about. I am saying, right here and right now on his earth there is a lot of spurious accusation based on jeolousy, insecurity, assumption, prejudice, and partial fact that never gets put to rest.

But perhaps real vindication doesn't so much mean having the true facts come to light.  Rather, true vindication happens when the substance of a person's character comes out even as a result of the maelstrom of condemnation.  True Godliness is revealed not so much in proving one's innocence, but rather in the way one keeps one's dignity and honor in the face of false accusation and even perhaps - like Jesus - false conviction.

I think of St. Stephen, the Church's first martyr.  He is saint, not because he was falsely charged and then wrongly executed.  He is a saint because in the face of the stones being thrown at him, he nevertheless had the Godly character to pray for his assailants.

"Blessed are those who are persecuted and have all manner of things spoken against them," Jesus said.  Blessed, indeed - if they remain blessed.