Thursday, July 19, 2012

At a Crossroad Among the Wolves

Matthew 10:14-16
14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. 15I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgement than for that town. 16I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

Jesus sent the disciples out to do His work and He gave specific instructions on anyone who didn't receive the message He charged them with giving. Interestingly enough, a character in a movie quotes the last verse and it's repeated within the film. The scripture was repeated by the man who plays John Milton. The movie is Devil's Advocate with Al Pacino, Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron. This movie is a prime lesson in why it's not good to go against what the Holy Spirit is giving you in your gut and when given the opportunity to tell the truth, why you should take it.

The movie starts with Keanu playing Kevin Lomax. He's a popular defense attorney in Gainsville, FL. Kevin has never lost a case. He's right in the middle of  his 64th trial. But it's a test. The young girl on the stand is a student in his defendant's math class.  The young girl was on the stand testifying to how the math teacher molested her after school. As she described what he did with his hands, the camera turns to the defendant's table. The teacher is caressing the underside of the table while looking at his student as if to be reliving the memory of what he had done. Kevin caught the teacher in mid caress. It was at that moment Kevin knew what the young girl was saying was true. He immediately asked for a recess. When the teacher realized he may have just compromised his own case he pleaded with Kevin. Kevin confronted him yet he still had a choice to make. He would either violate the client/attorney privilege and tell the truth or continue on with the case to keep his zero loss reputation. What do you think Kevin did? He continued down the slippery slope and won the case. He was then approached by a firm from New York. His mother was a woman of God and taught him the Bible very well. He knew scripture and all. The problem, he felt that he was in jail with it. His response to John Milton when asked if it rubbed off, "I'm on parole. Early release for good behavior." He didn't know that again, it was a test. He and his wife eventually moved to NY as he took on this law firm. He had no idea that he was actually working for evil. He continued down the same slippery slope. He would feel in his gut that things were off, he was being lied to and folks were guilty but he continued so he could keep "his good name." Eventually he heard from the Justice Department. By then, the pressure of everything around was causing his insides to twist. The Justice Department informed him that the math teacher he helped set free escalated his child abuse activity until he was pulled over by the cops with a dead girl in the trunk of his car.  John Milton also tried to get hold of his wife, Meredith played by Ms. Theron. She began to see the demonic activity everywhere. She said to him at least twice, "it's like it was one big test!"

If Kevin had told the truth and risked losing his "perfect name" a young girl may have lived. How many children suffered? (Sounds like the Sandusky case I know but this film is old). Kevin helped so many demonic forces around him though he knew things were not right. John continued to play on the weak areas of Kevin's personality. He hit many crossroads. Are you at a crossroad like Kevin? Watch the rest of Devil's Advocate (no, i didn't tell you the whole plot) and see what happened to Kevin and Meredith and you'll understand even better Jesus' words to the disciples.

Remember to check out my girl Stubbs on the Leap of Faith Network on www.live365.com and listen for the Get Your JOY In The Morning segment!

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