Distance Doesn't Equal Innocence

John 18:35 · Witnesses: Encountering Jesus When It Matters Most

“I’m not a Jew, am I? Your nation and its chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?” — John 18:35 (CEB)

Pilate distances himself immediately. “I’m not a Jew, am I?” It’s not my problem, not my people, not my fight. He positions himself as a disinterested outsider—just a bureaucrat processing paperwork.

But distance doesn’t equal innocence. The systems we benefit from still operate whether we claim ownership or not. The housing patterns in our communities, the way certain voices get heard and others don’t, the quiet advantages some carry without choosing them—we can claim distance from all of it and still be shaped by it.

Naming our place in these systems isn’t about guilt. It’s about honesty. And honesty is always the first step toward change. Where do you benefit from systems you didn’t design but also haven’t questioned? Start there.

God, when we distance ourselves from problems we help sustain, bring us closer. Give us the honesty to name what we’d rather not see. Amen.