Not believed

Not believed

32 And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony. John 3:32

Mr Simmons walked out of prison on July 2023. He was in prison because of the murder of Carolyn Sue Rogers which dated back to 1974. Now you might think that something like this happens all the time. People do a crime, go to jail and eventually get released. The uniqueness of this story is that he was released because of wrongful conviction- the longest known wrongful conviction in the USA.

Although he had always claimed his innocence, it took all this time for a district court to find that prosecutors had not turned over all evidence to defense lawyers, including a witness who had identified other suspects. He was 22 when he was convicted and was released at 70.

It is painful when you speak the truth and no one believes you. It is hard to be known as a liar and punished for that. It must have been a horrible 48 years in prison and yet even that extreme story doesn’t come close to what Jesus must have felt being here on this earth.

Jesus created this world with his voice. He created the first two humans with his hands. He guided Israel and spoke with them for hundreds of years and yet none of that seemed to matter when he came down. No one recognized him and even his own nation rejected him. They used the very words he gave them in the Bible to disbelieve in who he was.

All of that must have been very difficult but even more, Jesus knew that everyone who disbelieved was also attaching their future to that decision. How many people turned their backs on Jesus and how many did Jesus suffer over knowing that that choice was an eternal one?

Jesus always spoke the truth. He followed everything he did with scripture and the word of God. Even so, people just could not believe.

This can happen to us too. How many times have you clearly shown the truth to someone but they just couldn’t see it. How many have turned their backs to God in your presence. It is a hard thing to see and experience but know that Jesus has also felt it.

It never stopped Jesus. He never gave up after so much rejection. He would try and try again. That is our example. We too must be willing to go for the long run. Rejection is not an excuse to give up. May we all find the power and drive necessary to continue in the work that God has given us.

Blessings
Pr. Steven Couto