Legal Parlance
In legal circles, prosecutors and defense attorneys both have the goal of defending their clients successfully. They, however, use different approaches to fulfill the different requirements needed to complete their assignments. Choosing the right defense attorney who can plead your cause and bring appropriate outcomes is crucial to your case!
A prosecutor must charge the defendant with a specific crime or set of crimes, which he or she might have or might not have committed. On the other hand, a defense attorney‘s primary responsibility is to defend their client against criminal charges levelled against them.
A prosector must present evidence establishing the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt to a judge or jury. In response, a defense attorney must mount a vigorous and competent defense to actively defend their client’s freedom.
Normal Standards
In the world today, self defense tactics, strategies, and trainings have become commonplace and normal. Given the moral deterioration of society at large, increase in crime rate, and the tendencies for self-preservation, this does seem warranted. Gone are the days when concern and care for others was the norm, and not the exception. Today, such orientation is not available even in families and churches, leave alone extended families and communities.
Granted such solicitude and benevolence is sometimes detrimental and costly, yet what is in vogue today is the general pursuit of personal gain. Therefore, the normal standards of interaction with others, be it home, work, or elsewhere, borders on reactive self-defense rather than on proactive openness and selflessness!
People, on the whole, seem to be quick to repartee, ready to take offence, and trigger happy to defend themselves, more than ever before. Constructive criticism is often viewed as being interfering or unkind or mean, etc. Community input is disregarded as restrictive, whereas individual freedom and expertise is touted over and above all else. Turf wars and marking out space has become common workplace behavior, mainly due to the uncertain and evanescent nature of the job market in the corporate world.
Survival of the fittest is the rule of the day, and so, the accepted deportment has come to be self-defense, rather than waiting to defend, or be defended, acknowledged, or even applauded or accepted. Fighting for your rights is the way to get ahead, since otherwise you are liable to get trampled or thrown aside!
Biblical Defense Advocacy
Figuratively speaking, if you do not take up the cudgel or put up your hands in defense of yourself, nobody is going to do it for you. This is the singular trait of many, especially of the younger generation, the Gen X-Zs, or the postmodern age group whose idea is ‘nobody understands me’, and so it is ‘Me against the Whole World’ syndrome. One has to be one’s own defense attorney if one is to make way in the society is the general philosophy of life of this age!
In contrast is the Biblical model of Jesus Christ who laid down His own life, and sacrificed Himself for people, those who were His own creation. He is the only Man Who fully showcased true abandonment of self, allowing Himself to be taken captive and crucified. He never tried to protect or defend Himself, taking opposition to Himself in His stride, never turning aside to battles that would deter or distract Him from His purpose.
Whenever He did rise up against others, it was always in order protect His own or the weak and defenseless or the marginalized. He was the Advocate of those who truly needed His defense and protection, but not of Himself. When people came against Him, He simply left the place, or moved out or disappeared. Only when it was time for Him to pay the price of sin for the world, did He stay. Then He allowed Himself to be taken captive, scourged, mocked, made a caricature of, and finally crucified.
The cross, therefore, stands in history as the greatest symbol of humility, true strength, and lack of self defense. Symbolically, it is the antithesis, the antonym, and the reverse or inverse of putting up your hands in defense, of taking up the cudgel so to speak. If the picture of self defense to to raise your hands or fists against another, the stretching forth of hands on the cross is the perfect depiction of absolute surrender and defenselessness!
Jesus the Remarkable Man
He came as a man, a human being and showed us the way to live life, not defending Himself, but allowing God to be His defense, and His defense attorney. His being raised from the dead is the greatest testimony and the greatest defense by His Attorney, God the Father, that He was without sin or fault. Resurrection is undeniably the greatest proof of Christ’s innocence, sinlessness, and acceptance by the Greatest Judge of All, God!
Even today He exhibits this quality as He waits at the righthand of God, seated in quiet confidence, trusting in His Father’s word that He would make His enemies His footstool. He never does anything against those who speak against Him on earth today, but intercedes for all. He prays so that the grace and mercy of God is ever available for all of humankind, any time, any day, and in any circumstance!
Throughout the Bible we see evidence of people with such an attitude and aspect in daily life. This should lead us if we think that Jesus didn’t have the challenges we have, though the Bible says otherwise.
Practical Examples
We have the case of Abraham who chose to take the second choice when there were squabbles between his herdsmen and those of Lot, his own kinsman. Then, we see the example of Isaac who chose to move on when the King of Gerar, an outsider, fought over water wells, even though they were dug by his father and rightfully belonged to him. We see David, the rightful king, running and hiding from Saul rather than fight against the one seeking to kill him. He even refrained from taking revenge when he had the power to do so.
In the New Testament, we have the instance of Mary, mother of Jesus, when she was defended by God. He sent an angel to convince her betrothed man, Joseph, of her innocence. We see the stance of Mary who kept quiet before her accusers, both in the home and outside it. She allowed Jesus to speak up on her behalf rather than she herself. Stephen, the first martyr, saw Jesus standing to defend him, not just sitting at the right hand of God. As he was being stoned to death by those who were angry with him, he actually pleaded for them to be forgiven.
The reason all these people made God their defense attorney is because He alone is best qualified to defend us. Also, He ensures that victory is not one-sided but overall and all encompassing. The outcomes of His advocacy are permanent, functional, and relationally satisfying since they promote goodness all around!
Daily Application
There are ever so many examples of leaders and others of this age, who chose not to fight back or defend themselves. We have Jim Elliot and four others die at the hands of those to whom they came to give the good news. Even though they had the means to defend themselves, they refrained, and this which later became a testimony to the Auca tribe helping them to accept the gospel.
There are those in history, who though not followers of Christ, such as Mahatma Gandhi. They took their cue from Him to birth new tactics or adopt His example. Results of learning such peaceable advocacy is evident to one and all in what they achieved!
For those who think that in our own times this is impossible, we have before us the life of Graham Staines and his sons burnt to death. In the aftermath of this trauma, his wife Gladys Staines and their daughter chose not to avenge or insist on any reactive revenge, even when the authorities were ready to do so. Their outcomes are not earthly but heavenly, and obviously far-reaching, since their goodness is bringing life to many.
In the face of such examples, how can we adopt an attitude or an aspect of life wherein we choose to constantly be our own defenders? How can we consciously make thr decision to be our own defense attorneys, and not allow God to take up our advocacy?
Choice of Defense Attorney
Ps 89:15-18 says …For the Lord is our defense; and the Holy One of Israel is our king, while Isa 50:4-10 declares triumphantly …He who vindicates me is near. Who then will bring charges against me? Let us face each other! Who is my accuser? Let him confront me! It is the Sovereign Lord who helps me. Who will condemn me? As the children of the Most High, and as being part of His family, we need to allow Him to defend us, both inhouse and outside. The problem is that we are so busy fighting each other that we forget our common enemy. He dances with joy to see us at loggerheads with one another, and not imitate our Lord.
In I Cor 6:1-11, there is a word about lawsuits, and penalizing one another: …The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters. Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? The irony in the church today is that we crib and grab position, post, honor, gain, etc., just as people do out in the world!
If we are no different from those who do not know Christ or follow Him, what qualifies to be part of His family and His Kingdom? If we do not suffer like our Master, the One Who gave up all rights to win all men, how then can His will be done and His Kingdom come on earth!
Who is your Choice of Defense Attorney?
We are meant to be the salt and light of this world, impacting the world. Iff we lose sight of who we are meant to be, in the image and nature of Him Who died for all mankind, we become nothing.
We must also remember that we choose to defend ourselves, He will not do so. He will step back and wait until we tire of our own efforts, and come to Him for our defense! He may often not defend you the way you want Him to, in the time or occasion you wish Him to. Yet He will surely come to your rescue, ever ready to advocate for you. He will work all our negatives into positives so that we reflect Him and showcase His authority on earth.
Let’s choose Him to make our defense, and be our defense attorney, pleading our case and cause before God and man. If we choose others to be our defense lawyers, they will fail us for they are and will be limited in their outlook and approach. He, on the other hand. will never let us down, nor cause us any eternal loss or cost. He sees the beginning feom the end, and is therefore, best suited to our Advocate!
Are you your own defense attorney, or other people? Is God Himself, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, your only choice for defense?
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