“There’s not a neighborhood in this city that wants drug addicts and prostitutes living among them.” That is the justification voiced by a councilman for knowingly and willingly ignoring their own legal counsel’s advice, regarding a county-wide ban against “Rehabilitation Services” using land zoned “agricultural/residential.” Get more of the details here.

County officials intentionally took out the phrase “rehabilitation services” to block Teen Challenge from buying property for their ministry. For a moment, let’s set aside the fact that TC has an impressive 67% success rate according to a University of Tennessee study, which is contrasted with, at best, a 15% cure rate by secular programs, according to a National Institute on Drug Abuse Report. (The numbers get even better if you read the entire studies.) Nevermind that TC receives no funding from the government (except the nearly $1 million dollars the jury awarded them for the illegal actions of the Metro Council).

The real problem is the open defiance and disregard of the law by public officials (and the calloused attitude displayed by the councilman that made the statement above).

Look at it this way. You have a social problem. You have an agency that has a proven track record to fix the social problem and it won’t cost you a dime. What do you do? The wise person helps this agency find property or at least removes as many hindrances as possible. You don’t break the law to stop them.

You shall not pervert justice, according to the Law of Moses. That happens to be the law of our land as well. It applies to drug addicts as well as councilmen. It applies to church leaders as well.

There are times we are tempted to think that the end justifies the means. Sometimes we may be encouraged to do something wrong for a good cause. Don’t fall into that trap. If we can’t win a battle by doing right, that just may be a battle God doesn’t want us to win. Let’s do right and wait on Him. Or in the words of Moses, “Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.” You never know what might happen.

Consider the case with Teen Challenge. Those who wrongly opposed TC are actually contributing the first million dollars toward their relocation. (Interesting way to get government money for a faith-based ministry.)