When the Innocent is Unjustly Convicted

By Danni Moss
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In our day when clergy sex abuse is one of the hot trends and topics, it is reasonable and logical to expect that some will be falsely accused. If we didn’t think of that on our own, there have been publicized cases of false accusations proven false.

But I think we would be extremely naïve if we didn’t also accept that there will be times when an innocent party is unjustly convicted. This reality does not change the fact that an innocent person must not plead guilty, for the reasons stated elsewhere.

At the same time, how does the convicted person go on from there? What do we do when a loved one is falsely convicted? This is so profoundly wrong and it will dramatically affect the rest of the life of that falsely accused person.

God doesn’t leave this reality out of consideration in the Word. We are given the example of both Daniel and Joseph.

One thing we tend to do when we read events in the Bible is to forget that the people who lived those “stories” didn’t know the end. They didn’t know it was going to work out the way it did. They lived it blind, by faith – just the same as we must do today.

To assume that all the horrible things which could happen in prison, having a conviction on one’s permanent record, being separated from family for many years or a lifetime, etc. are bigger than God is short-sighted. Nothing that occurs in our lives catches God by surprise. Not even such a wickedly horrible thing as being falsely convicted of sex abuse. In fact, that was Joseph’s alleged crime!

We have to hold to the fact that God works ALL things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Would this not include a falsely accused minister?

Horribly unfair things happen to God’s people – and God is bigger than that. That is one of my favorite statements. God is bigger than this. God WILL glorify Himself, and He will remain faithful, even to an unjustly convicted servant of God. None of us are greater than our master – who suffered unjust accusation even to death.

God will use even this experience to accomplish His purposes and He will be faithful to the one falsely accused. We may not understand how or see it today, but this is the truth of the Word. Faith accepts and acts on what is not seen. Bitterness and anger will only hurt us – a yielded heart is blessed, even in excruciatingly painful places.