Zebras scatter and flee, leaving the weakest and most vulnerable as lions’ prey. Elephants group together and defend the entire herd. We are too often zebras rather than elephants.  

An accusation is made against clergy, politician, professor, author, journalist, coach, coworker, or colleague. Perhaps it is legitimate. Perhaps it was invented by a malcontent. Perhaps it was innocent. Perhaps not. We don’t know. We don’t care. 

We flee and leave the accused to the lions, lest somehow we be negatively impacted. We hear one side of the story. We never talk to the accused. Rumors are repeated until they enter the public consciousness as fact. If such accusations and innuendoes have been covered up in the past, all the more reason to jump to the opposite extreme. Guilty without evidence. Guilty without proof. Guilty without even the opportunity to defend oneself. 

False gods demand blood sacrifices. Person after person is sacrificed on the altar of accusation to preserve what really matters – the institution. Careers, families, and lives are destroyed. The roaring lions are satiated for only a very short time. 

What if, instead, we acted like elephants and supported one another? 

What if we carefully and fully investigated, heard all sides, and brought the parties together with the goal of reconciliation whenever possible? 

What if justice were tempered with mercy and wrongs righted with forgiveness? 

What if the innocents were exonerated and the guilty restored?

Wouldn’t that look a lot more like the Kingdom of God?