“And when he had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying: "…we have found this man a plague, one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world and is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. He even tried to profane the temple, but we seized him.”
Acts 24:2, 5-6

Things haven’t changed much in 2,000 years, have they? They created riots and incited mobs to kill Paul, wherever he appeared. They followed him around to stir up trouble anytime he spoke, and then they accused him of being a troublemaker, going around causing riots and stirring up the people.

And so it goes. 24 years ago today, after attacking the United States, they accused the US of being the cause of all their hatred, and had the press suggesting “things that we have done to them to make them hate us so much.”

Within minutes of the tragic murder of Charlie Kirk yesterday, there were talking heads in the media saying that he was a troublemaker who stirred up trouble on college campuses. It’s only a matter of time, they said, when you stir up so much hate, that something like this will happen. In other words, he had it coming, and the rest of you should be quiet before it happens to you.

After invading Israel and filming themselves murdering, raping, committing unspeakably horrible violence and cruelty, kidnapping hundreds of hostages and torturing them for three years while they use them as bargaining chips, the terrorists in the Middle East accuse Israel of war crimes, of causing suffering and of invading their country.

It’s a page right out of Saul Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals: “Accuse your opponent of what you’re doing, to create confusion and to inculcate voters against evidence of your own guilt.”

Dear Christian, understand, this is nothing new. This tactic didn’t begin in the heart of Marx or Alinsky. It’s been one of the devil’s tricks since the beginning. And we won’t be able to stop it by responding in kind. That’s exactly what the devil wants: more hatred, violence, cruelty, and murder.

Governments must protect their people, and Law Enforcement must pursue the perpetrators, but on a personal level, we are called to respond as the Lord Jesus would. Love your enemies; do good to those who hate, persecute, and accuse you.

Lord Jesus, Prince of Peace, King of the Universe: let Your Kingdom come; let your will be done in my life, no matter what’s happening to me or in the darkness of this world around me. Give us Your peace, Lord. Amen.

Pastor Dan Giles