His Cross Our HopeSýnishorn

“But officer, we didn’t do it,” my thirteen-year-old mouth said after an undercover police officer stopped my friends and me. I couldn’t stay silent when I knew that I was innocent. We were simply browsing the gift shop at an amusement park while on our school trip. Suddenly, we’d been accused of stealing the cuddly stuffed animal backpacks that we giddily wore.

The allegations filled my heart with hurt, disbelief, and sadness, but after producing our receipts, the officer unapologetically let us go. While I spoke up and provided evidence of my innocence, when Jesus was faced with a list of crimes He didn't commit, not one word seeped from His blameless lips.

Our nature is to verbalize and prove our innocence, but Jesus was silent on purpose. He was on a mission. Jesus knew who He was and had nothing to prove. He realized His vindication would come when He died and rose again, crushing death and offering salvation to the world and the very people who sought to destroy Him. So, Jesus chose to activate His internal mute button. Jesus’ quietness illustrates a beautiful lesson found in Ecclesiastes 3:7 which tells us there’s a time to be silent and a time to speak.

Jesus warned us people would accuse us without cause. No matter how much explaining we do, some might still seek to destroy us. Mountains of evidence can’t persuade someone whose plight is to take down or devour us. Therefore, saying nothing might be the wisest option. In trying moments, we can be confident that when we are on a mission from our heavenly Father, in due time, He will uplift us with victory just like He did when Jesus rose. What lesson can you glean from Jesus’ silence? How can silence be purposeful?

~Quinnise Pettway

Author and blogger