“I Didn’t DO it!!!” was a line that would ring out in our house when I was a kid numerous times throughout a week... well maybe a day. Anytime something crashed, or someone whined, or anything bad happened you would hear “I didn’t do it!” from some part of the house… even if it was from the opposite side of the house from where the crash was! Sometimes I was the one who said those words… actually to be honest I always was the one who said it. I usually said it when I wasn’t the culprit of said dastardly crashing noise. I guess it was born out of a fear of failing, or getting in trouble, or being wrong. Whatever the reason why, I so quickly jumped to announce my innocence and defend myself so as not to get in trouble or be blamed.

In Luke 23:1-4 we find a “crashing noise” as Jesus is accused of doing something He very clearly didn’t do.

“Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, “We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Messiah, a king.” So Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied. Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”

I like to look at Jesus' response in this situation. He was being accused of something he didn’t do, he was then proclaimed innocent by the Roman authority, but then illegally beaten to appease the accusers, and ultimately crucified later in the story. How did Jesus respond? Did he argue, did he fight, did he throw accusations at those stinking lyers, did he snap his fingers to turn the whips into rubber chickens, did he scream “I didn’t do it”, did he whine about it being unfair, did he get angry and sin? No on all counts. He answered Pilate’s questions truthfully and honestly and did not jump to defend himself. He knew his role, his mission, & God’s plan, so he willingly allowed it to happen.

I’m not advocating we do the same by “just taking it” in any situation of false accusations, but I am saying to look at Jesus’ attitude. He was truthful, sinless, honest, & humble, while keeping a kingdom perspective. How often do we defend ourselves (whether warranted or not, whether when we are innocent or guilty) by thinking and acting selfishly, accusing others, shifting blame, whining, giving a bad attitude, thinking about our kingdom instead of His kingdom? How can we choose to be a reflection of Jesus, His Characteristics, and kingdom mindedness instead of being the “I didn’t do it” child?