False witness. It’s a court term, one for judges and legal experts to contend with. Surely it doesn’t concern us.
Except.
Yes, except. A false witness is more than a legal term, and it concerns us every day. It is a term that embodies the essence of disrespect and lack of concern for other people.
Example: In June of 2020, a “Karen” from New Jersey called law enforcement on her neighbors, the Hayats. Her complaint? They had assaulted her.
Here’s the bigger picture: Karen’s neighbors were installing a patio, using a licensed contractor, with all city permits in place. Karen entered their property 3 times in 30 minutes and demanded to know if her neighbors were “permitted” to install their new patio. When asked to leave, Karen returned home and called the police.
Here's the even bigger picture: Karen is white, and the Hayats are black. What Karen didn’t realize is that her neighbors are lawyers, and Mr. Hayat is a law professor at the City University of New York School of Law.
Karen was schooled. The Hayat’s neighbors (mostly white) came out in their defense. Even the police condemned Karen’s complaint.
Deuteronomy 19:16-19 tells a similar story:
“If a malicious witness arises to accuse a person of wrongdoing, then both parties to the dispute shall appear before the Lord, before the priests and the judges who are in office in those days. The judges shall inquire diligently, and if the witness is a false witness and has accused his brother falsely, then you shall do to him as he had meant to do to his brother. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.
The lesson we must learn from this is not to be a “Karen.” Don’t try to make trouble for people. Instead, love them, be compassionate when they are in distress, and above all, be kind, even when it isn’t deserved.
Our Christian witness flows from us unto others when we treat them with respect and love.
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Code: FGO.G.04.20a.vp.esv