Tᴏᴅᴅ ᴀɴᴅ Jᴜʟɪᴇ Cʜʀɪsʟᴇʏ ᴀʀᴇ ʟᴇᴀɴɪɴɢ ᴏɴ ᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ — ᴀɴᴅ ғɪɴᴅɪɴɢ ғᴏʀɢɪᴠᴇɴᴇss ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴏsᴇ ᴡʜᴏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴡʀᴏɴɢᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇᴍ — ᴀs ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴄᴏɴᴛɪɴᴜᴇ ᴛᴏ ɴᴀᴠɪɢᴀᴛᴇ ʟɪғᴇ ᴀғᴛᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴀʟʟᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ʙᴀɴᴋ ғʀᴀᴜᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛᴀx ᴇᴠᴀsɪᴏɴ ᴄᴏɴᴠɪᴄᴛɪᴏɴs.
Dᴜʀɪɴɢ Fʀɪᴅᴀʏ’s ᴇᴘɪsᴏᴅᴇ ᴏғ PᴏᴅᴄᴀsᴛOɴᴇ’s Cʜʀɪsʟᴇʏ Cᴏɴғᴇssɪᴏɴs ᴘᴏᴅᴄᴀsᴛ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴜᴏ ᴏᴘᴇɴᴇᴅ ᴜᴘ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ’ᴠᴇ ʟᴇᴀʀɴᴇᴅ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴍᴀʀʀɪᴀɢᴇ — ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴘʟᴀɴ ᴏɴ ᴍᴏᴠɪɴɢ ғᴏʀᴡᴀʀᴅ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ Jᴜɴᴇ 7 ɢᴜɪʟᴛʏ ᴠᴇʀᴅɪᴄᴛs.
“I sᴛᴀʀᴛᴇᴅ ᴀ ɴᴇᴡ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴛʜɪs ᴡᴇᴇᴋ ᴀɴᴅ ɪᴛ’s ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴄᴏᴍᴇʙᴀᴄᴋs … ɪɴ ᴛʜɪs ʙᴏᴏᴋ, ɪᴛ sᴀʏs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴄᴏᴍᴇʙᴀᴄᴋs ʙᴇɢɪɴ ᴡɪᴛʜ Jᴇsᴜs,” sᴀɪᴅ Jᴜʟɪᴇ, 49. “Iᴛ ᴅᴏᴇsɴ’ᴛ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ ʜᴏᴡ ᴍᴇssʏ ʟɪғᴇ ʜᴀs ʙᴇᴄᴏᴍᴇ. Iᴛ’s ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴛᴏᴏ ʟᴀᴛᴇ ғᴏʀ Gᴏᴅ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇsᴛᴏʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ, ʏᴏᴜʀ ʜᴇᴀʟᴛʜ, ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴍɪɴᴅ. Nᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴛᴏᴏ ʟᴀᴛᴇ ғᴏʀ ʜɪᴍ ᴛᴏ ᴘᴜᴛ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʟɪғᴇ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴛᴏɢᴇᴛʜᴇʀ.”
“Nᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴛᴏᴏ ʟᴀᴛᴇ ᴛᴏ ʜᴇᴀʟ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏᴜɴᴅs ɪɴғʟɪᴄᴛᴇᴅ ᴏɴ ʏᴏᴜ ᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ʏᴇᴀʀs. Nᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴛᴏᴏ ʟᴀᴛᴇ ғᴏʀ Jᴇsᴜs ᴛᴏ sᴘᴇᴀᴋ ᴛᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡʜᴇɴ ʏᴏᴜ’ʀᴇ ʜᴀɴɢɪɴɢ ᴏɴ ᴀ ᴄʀᴏss ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍɪᴅᴅʟᴇ ᴏғ ᴀ ᴘᴜɴɪsʜᴍᴇɴᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴇsᴇʀᴠᴇ,” sʜᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴛɪɴᴜᴇᴅ. “Tʜᴇ ɢᴏᴏᴅ ɴᴇᴡs ɪs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴘᴀʀᴀᴅɪsᴇ ᴄᴏɴɴᴇᴄᴛs ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀɴᴅғɪʟʟ. Tᴏᴅᴀʏ, ᴛʜᴀɴᴋs ᴛᴏ Jᴇsᴜs, ᴘᴀʀᴀᴅɪsᴇ ᴄᴀɴ ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴜs. Iᴛ ᴀʟsᴏ sᴀɪᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴀ ʟᴏᴛ ᴏғ ᴜs ɴᴇᴇᴅ ᴀ sʜᴀᴋᴇᴅᴏᴡɴ sᴏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴇ ᴄᴀɴ ʀɪsᴇ ᴜᴘ.”
“I ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴀ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀғᴜʟ sᴛᴀᴛᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ,” sʜᴇ ᴀᴅᴅᴇᴅ. “Sᴏᴍᴇᴛɪᴍᴇs ᴡᴇ ɴᴇᴇᴅ ᴀ sʜᴀᴋᴇᴅᴏᴡɴ sᴏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴇ ᴄᴀɴ ʀɪsᴇ ᴜᴘ. Aɴᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴇssᴏɴ ғᴏʀ ᴜs ʜᴀs ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪᴛ’s ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴛᴏᴏ ʟᴀᴛᴇ. Wᴇ’ʀᴇ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴛᴏᴏ ғᴀʀ ɢᴏɴᴇ. Gᴏᴅ ɪs ᴀʟᴡᴀʏs ɢᴏᴏᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴇ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏs ʀᴇᴍᴇᴍʙᴇʀs ᴜs. Oᴜʀ ᴘʀᴀʏᴇʀ ɪsɴ’ᴛ ᴛᴏ ɢᴇᴛ ʀᴇᴠᴇɴɢᴇ ᴏɴ ᴀ ɢʀᴏᴜᴘ ᴏғ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ sᴛʀᴇɴɢᴛʜᴇɴᴇᴅ ᴏɴᴄᴇ ᴍᴏʀᴇ sᴏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴇ ᴍᴀʏ ʟɪᴠᴇ ɪɴ Gᴏᴅ’s ɢʟᴏʀʏ.”
Tᴏᴅᴅ ᴀɴᴅ Jᴜʟɪᴇ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴠɪᴄᴛᴇᴅ ᴏғ ʙᴀɴᴋ ғʀᴀᴜᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛᴀx ᴇᴠᴀsɪᴏɴ ɪɴ ᴇᴀʀʟʏ Jᴜɴᴇ. Tʜᴇ ᴛᴡᴏ Cʜʀɪsʟᴇʏ Kɴᴏᴡs Bᴇsᴛ sᴛᴀʀs, ᴡʜᴏ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ғᴀᴄᴇ ᴜᴘ ᴛᴏ 30 ʏᴇᴀʀs ɪɴ ᴘʀɪsᴏɴ, ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴘʀᴇᴠɪᴏᴜsʟʏ sᴀɪᴅ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴀᴘᴘᴇᴀʟ. Tʜᴇɪʀ sᴇɴᴛᴇɴᴄɪɴɢ ᴅᴀᴛᴇ ɪs sᴇᴛ ғᴏʀ Oᴄᴛ. 6.
Fᴏʀ Tᴏᴅᴅ, ʜᴇ ᴀᴅᴍɪᴛᴛᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ sɪᴛᴜᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ʜᴀs ɴᴏᴛ ᴏɴʟʏ ʙᴇᴛᴛᴇʀᴇᴅ ʜɪs ᴍᴀʀʀɪᴀɢᴇ, ʙᴜᴛ ʜᴀs ɢɪᴠᴇɴ ʜɪᴍ ᴀɴ ᴀᴡᴀᴋᴇɴɪɴɢ ᴏғ sᴏʀᴛs.
“Iɴ ᴍʏ ᴘᴇʀsᴘᴇᴄᴛɪᴠᴇ, ɪᴛ ʜᴀs ᴅʀᴀᴡɴ ᴍᴇ ᴄʟᴏsᴇʀ ᴛᴏ ᴍʏ ᴡɪғᴇ,” sᴀɪᴅ Tᴏᴅᴅ, 53. “I ғᴇᴇʟ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴍʏ ᴍᴀʀʀɪᴀɢᴇ, ғᴏʀ ᴍᴇ ᴘᴇʀsᴏɴᴀʟʟʏ, ɪɴᴛᴇʀɴᴀʟʟʏ, ɪs ᴛʜᴇ sᴛʀᴏɴɢᴇsᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪᴛ’s ᴇᴠᴇʀ ʙᴇᴇɴ. I ғᴇᴇʟ ʟɪᴋᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ғɪʀsᴛ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ɪɴ ᴍʏ ʟɪғᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍʏ ᴍᴀʀʀɪᴀɢᴇ, I ғᴇᴇʟ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴍʏ ᴍᴀʀʀɪᴀɢᴇ ɪs ғᴇᴇᴅɪɴɢ ᴀ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴏғ ᴍᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ I ᴅɪᴅɴ’ᴛ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴡᴀs sᴛᴀʀᴠɪɴɢ. I ғᴇᴇʟ ʟɪᴋᴇ I ᴜɴᴅᴇʀsᴛᴀɴᴅ Jᴜʟɪᴇ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴀ ᴅɪғғᴇʀᴇɴᴛ ʟᴇᴠᴇʟ ᴛʜᴀɴ I ᴇᴠᴇʀ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʙᴇғᴏʀᴇ. I ғᴇᴇʟ ʟɪᴋᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴏᴘᴇɴᴇᴅ ᴜᴘ ᴍᴏʀᴇ sɪɴᴄᴇ ᴀʟʟ ᴏғ ᴛʜɪs.”
“I ғᴇᴇʟ ʟɪᴋᴇ ғᴏʀ sᴏ ʟᴏɴɢ, ʏᴏᴜ ᴀɴᴅ I ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴀ ᴛᴇᴀᴍ sɪɴᴄᴇ ᴅᴀʏ ᴏɴᴇ,” Jᴜʟɪᴇ ʀᴇᴘʟɪᴇᴅ. “Iᴛ’s ʙᴇᴇɴ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀɴᴅ I ᴀɢᴀɪɴsᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ … I ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ғᴏʀ ʙᴏᴛʜ ᴏғ ᴜs, ᴛʜɪs sɪᴛᴜᴀᴛɪᴏɴ, ᴏᴜʀ sᴇᴀsᴏɴ ᴏғ ʟɪғᴇ ʀɪɢʜᴛ ɴᴏᴡ ʜᴀs sʜᴏᴡɴ ᴜs ɪᴛ’s ɴᴏᴛ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴏᴜʀ ᴘʟᴀɴ ɪs, ɪᴛ’s ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴡʜᴀᴛ Gᴏᴅ’s ᴘʟᴀɴ ɪs. Fᴏʀ ᴀ ʟᴏɴɢ ᴛɪᴍᴇ, ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴀʟᴡᴀʏs ᴏᴜʀ ᴘʟᴀɴ, ɴᴏᴛ Gᴏᴅ’s ᴘʟᴀɴ.”
Tᴏᴅᴅ ᴛʜᴇɴ ᴏᴘᴇɴᴇᴅ ᴜᴘ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ “ᴇᴍᴘʟᴏʏᴇᴇ” ᴡʜᴏ ᴀʟʟᴇɢᴇᴅʟʏ ᴡʀᴏɴɢᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ғʀᴀᴜᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛᴀx ᴇᴠᴀsɪᴏɴ sᴜɪᴛ.
“Wᴇ ʜᴀᴅ ᴛʜɪs ᴇᴍᴘʟᴏʏᴇᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴏʀᴋᴇᴅ ғᴏʀ ᴜs, ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴀs ᴄᴀᴜsᴇᴅ sᴏ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴜғғ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴀs ʜᴀᴘᴘᴇɴᴇᴅ, ᴀɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ʟᴏᴏᴋ ᴀɴᴅ sᴀʏ, ‘Hᴏᴡ ɪs ʜᴇ ɢᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ ᴀᴡᴀʏ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜɪs? Hᴏᴡ ɪs ᴛʜɪs ʜᴀᴘᴘᴇɴɪɴɢ?’” Tᴏᴅᴅ sᴀɪᴅ. “I ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴘʀᴀʏᴇᴅ ғᴏʀ Gᴏᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴀᴛʀᴇᴅ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ ᴍʏ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ I ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜɪs ᴍᴀɴ ᴅɪᴅ. Jᴜsᴛ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ I ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴡʜᴀᴛ’s ɢᴏɪɴɢ ᴏɴ ɪɴ ʜɪs ʟɪғᴇ ᴅᴏᴇsɴ’ᴛ ᴍᴇᴀɴ Gᴏᴅ’s ɴᴏᴛ ʜᴀɴᴅʟɪɴɢ ɪᴛ … I ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴘʀᴀʏ, Lᴏʀᴅ ɪғ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ’s ᴀɴ ᴇɴᴇᴍʏ ᴄᴏᴍɪɴɢ ᴀᴛ ᴍᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡʜᴀᴛᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇʏ’ʀᴇ sᴇɴᴅɪɴɢ ᴍʏ ᴡᴀʏ, I ᴀsᴋ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ʀᴇᴛᴜʀɴ ᴛᴏ sᴇɴᴅᴇʀ.”
“Pᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ᴡɪʟʟ ɢᴇᴛ ᴡʜᴀᴛ’s ᴄᴏᴍɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇᴍ, ʙᴜᴛ ɪᴛ’s ɪɴ Gᴏᴅ’s ᴛɪᴍᴇ,” Jᴜʟɪᴇ ʟᴀᴛᴇʀ ᴀᴅᴅᴇᴅ. “Iᴛ’s ɴᴏᴛ ᴏɴ ᴏᴜʀ ᴛɪᴍᴇ. Tʜᴀᴛ’s ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴇ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴘᴜsʜ ɪᴛ ᴀʟᴏɴɢ, ᴡᴇ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʜᴜʀʀʏ ɪᴛ ᴜᴘ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ᴡᴇ’ʀᴇ ʜᴜʀᴛɪɴɢ sᴏ ʙᴀᴅʟʏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴇ ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ sᴇᴇ ᴀɴ ᴏᴜɴᴄᴇ ᴏғ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ғʀᴏᴍ sᴏᴍᴇᴏɴᴇ ᴇʟsᴇ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ᴡᴇ ғᴇᴇʟ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴡᴇ’ʀᴇ ʜᴇᴍᴏʀʀʜᴀɢɪɴɢ.”
“Tʜʀᴏᴜɢʜᴏᴜᴛ sᴇᴀsᴏɴs ᴏғ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʟɪғᴇ, I ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ғᴇᴇʟ ʟɪᴋᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ʜᴇᴍᴏʀʀʜᴀɢɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ ᴀɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴀɴ’ᴛ ᴇᴠᴇɴ sᴇᴇ ᴀ sᴄʀᴀᴘᴇ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴘᴇʀsᴏɴ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ғᴇᴇʟ ʟɪᴋᴇ ʜᴀs ʟɪᴇᴅ ᴏɴ ʏᴏᴜ, ᴏʀ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴀs ᴅᴏɴᴇ ᴡʀᴏɴɢ ʙʏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴏʀ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴀs ᴄʜᴇᴀᴛᴇᴅ ʏᴏᴜ,” sʜᴇ sᴀɪᴅ. “Tʜᴀᴛ’s ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴀᴋᴇs ɪᴛ sᴏ ʜᴀʀᴅ.”
Lᴀsᴛ ᴍᴏɴᴛʜ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴜᴏ ᴀᴅᴍɪᴛᴛᴇᴅ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴘᴏᴅᴄᴀsᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ sɪᴛᴜᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ʜᴀs ᴛᴀᴋᴇɴ ᴀ ᴛᴏʟʟ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ — ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴀʀᴇ ᴅᴇᴛᴇʀᴍɪɴᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴘᴜsʜ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ.
“As ᴀ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ, ᴡᴇ ᴀʀᴇ sᴛɪʟʟ ᴜɴɪᴛᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ sᴛᴀɴᴅɪɴɢ ғɪʀᴍ ɪɴ ᴏᴜʀ ᴘᴏsɪᴛɪᴏɴs ᴀɴᴅ ɪɴ ᴏᴜʀ ғᴀɪᴛʜ. Wᴇ ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ᴡᴀɪᴠᴇʀ ɪɴ ᴏᴜʀ ғᴀɪᴛʜ,” Tᴏᴅᴅ sᴀɪᴅ. “Nᴏᴡ ʟɪsᴛᴇɴ. Aʀᴇ ᴡᴇ ᴅɪsᴀᴘᴘᴏɪɴᴛᴇᴅ? Aʀᴇ ᴡᴇ ʜᴜʀᴛ? Yᴇs, ʙᴜᴛ ᴡᴇ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴀᴛ Gᴏᴅ ʜᴀs ᴀ ᴘᴜʀᴘᴏsᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ.”