Guilty As Charged?

Ever so often, when doing my daily Bible reading, I find myself "stuck" on a particular passage. It isn't that I don't understand it but that it sticks in my mind and I can't seem to stop thinking about it. That happened a few years ago with a particular text in Acts 24. The Apostle Paul is imprisoned and brought before the governor, Felix. Felix listens as the Jews make their accusations. The apostle, then makes his defense. He tells the governor that while he is innocent of the charges brought against him, he is indeed a guilty man. What he is guilty of? Well, Paul informs the court that he worships the God and is a follower of the Way. He says he also believes everything that agrees with the Law and is written in the Prophets. Likewise he believes there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked . . . and he strives to always keep his conscience clear before God and man. Paul tells Felix that all of this guilt can be easily verified!
I am amazed at this passage. (First I think it is very cool that God "outlined" the sermon right there--should any preacher want to preach it. --wink, wink) But secondly, I am impressed that Paul is so confident in his behavior, in his faith and in his reputation that he will stand before a court of law and say courageously that he is guilty and he can prove it.
It is sad that we live in a world that is rife with rumors and gossip. Even in the church, we hear about so and so and what they have or have not done. We read about preachers who have strayed and elders who have abused their powers. The news tells of preacher's wives who take the law into their own hands. We hear of "big names" in the brotherhood being smeared by others. Unfortunately, not one of us who are working for the Lord, I mean truly working for Him, are exempt from the wagging tongues of those who are threatened by our ministry, who are uncomfortable with our mission and who are convicted by our message and choose to turn away. There will always be rumors, always be gossip, always be people anxious to cast dispersions on others.
I pray that we live lives that are exemplary, lives that are reflections of Christ and glorify the Father. I pray that we have reputations that make it difficult for anyone who knows us to believe the rumors. And I pray that we try to live "innocent" lives.
However, I also pray that like the Apostle, we are guilty. We are people who worship God and are followers of the Way. We are people who believe everything in the Law and written in the prophets. We are people who believe in the resurrection. And so, we live in a manner that provides for us a clear conscience before God and man. Of these things, we all should be guilty! And not only should we be guilty---but it should be easy to verify! So the question is "Are you guilty?" and "Can you prove it?"

Peace
Neva