I Don't Believe You

"I don't believe you," my teacher told me with an accusatory tone. Though heartbroken and embarrassed, I didn't blame him. I was however innocent. Yet my body of work, my usual behavior as a student, and my modus operandi if you will, clearly suggested I was the likely culprit. Very rarely did I possess "clean hands" when mischief was afoot. There wasn't much I wouldn't do in school to get a laugh or gain attention. In my defense, I wasn't a juvenile delinquent or troublemaker per se, but the title of "silliest and most likely to disrupt learning," would have fit quite nicely.

Our class had been looking forward to visiting the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama all year. It was more than just a fieldtrip, it was the opportunity of a lifetime. I personally was beyond excited. After all of the anticipation and travel, when we finally arrived and our visit was cut short, it was devastating. Although the details of the entire trip are a little fuzzy some 25 years later, being accused of doing something I didn't do, has stuck with me all of these years. I was the scapegoat.

There was an exhibit at the Space Center at the time, perhaps it is a permanent exhibit, which I was told in no uncertain terms, was a very new and very expensive exhibit. No doubt due to artifacts not easily replaced (think moon rock, etc...) Apparently as our group and many other groups made their way through the museum, another young chubby kid looking somewhat like me, apparently crossed over the railing and into this particular exhibit. I don't know the extent of the damage but from the personnel and teachers responses, it much have been nothing short of sheer destruction.

So, I was pulled aside and scolded for another's misdeed. What's worse, word quickly spread that Adam the Menace was the cause of the early departure, and certain students let their frustrations fly in my direction. On any other day, I'd likely deserve it, but not this day. Sitting in my seat on the bus ride home was awful and I felt alone.

Two things come to mind when thinking back on that fateful field trip:

1.) Is our body of work, our modus operandi, consistent with what we profess to believe and who we claim to follow?

Can someone easily look at us and say, "they are a Christian?" More commonly stated, does our walk match our talk? A pastor at our church once shared during a sermon that out of 100 people, 99 will read the Christian, 1 will read the bible. As a broken and sinful follower of Christ, that scares me. Does it scare you? The harsh reality is that others watch how Christians live, to understand who Christians serve. No pressure, right? We are imperfect people serving a perfect Savior. When I personally tell others about what God has done in my life, when I share my "testimony," can they see the change? Can they sense and feel my sincerity and genuineness? Or will they simply respond in an accusatory tone, "I don't believe you."

2.) Jesus was innocent. He was the scapegoat.

Jesus was treated like a criminal and ultimately put to death for telling the truth about who He was. Hanging on the cross was no doubt awful, and Christ must have felt alone. When He did not deny who He truly was, He was met with with shouts of "I don't believe you." Jesus was scolded for another's misdeed. To be clear, the misdeeds of others were many, including my misdeeds, and your misdeeds. He was the ultimate scapegoat. Jesus teaches in the bible that if we deny Him before others, He will deny us before His Father (Matthew 10:33). I want to live a life of praise, service, and worship, so when I am welcomed into a wonderful eternity I can hear, "well done good and faithful servant."(Matthew 25:23) When I have the chance to tell my heavenly Father for the first time face to face, "I love you," I want Him to respond, " I know," instead of "I don't believe you."

Much Love, Adam