Evidence of Innocence

Author: Joseph

Date: September 8, 2019

A man is found slain in the open country, near no city, with no witness of who committed this act of violence. The slain man is found to be in closest proximity to your city, which means you are responsible to testify regarding the dead man. What would you do?

This was the way God instructed the people of Israel to resolve mysterious deaths. The city elders had to answer as to why the man was slain near their city and if they were innocent, they had to swear to their innocence along with offering a sacrifice before God. City elders knew of most public affairs and were well informed by those under their authority. For them to claim innocence meant that they were also taking responsibility for all those under their authority. They had to ensure that their city was indeed innocent.

"A leader cannot allow hidden sin to flourish..."

This same principle can apply to a parent of a child (or children), a manager of a business, or a leader in any capacity. Anyone with responsibility over another person must ensure that those under them are not guilty of hidden sin. They must be blameless and be able to testify and present evidence of their innocence. A leader cannot allow hidden sin to flourish in their community of responsibility.

A rebellious child must be corrected. An employee engaged in ethical corruption must be reprimanded or removed. Anyone within the responsibility of a leader must be guided and corrected. The responsibility lies primarily on that leader. If a leader is unable to claim innocence of those within their responsibility, then the leader needs to reclaim their responsibility and recover their community from hidden sin.

The city elders had their responsibility to know or, if they didn’t know, to investigate the affairs of the people in their city. If they wrongfully made the claim of innocence when their city was guilty, then God would bring judgment upon that city to purge the sin since the leader would not. In the same manner, the entire community within a leader’s responsibility suffers when the leader chooses not to attend to their responsibility to keep the innocence of their people.

Does your leadership ensure that they know the members of their community well enough to claim their innocence if they were ever accused? Do you as a parent, a manager, or any other kind of leader find that you are unable to honestly defend those within your responsibility? If you cannot claim innocence, then you do not know your community well or you are not leading them as you should be.

Reclaim your responsibility to your community and let the lives of those you lead be the greatest evidence of their innocence.

Bible Passage: Deuteronomy 21:1-9