From Him To Us Volume 1, Nate Gray Inspiration Author.

Who Can Cast the First Stone? ---From Chicago Native author, Nate Gray
www.nategray.com

After 6 years of the long awaited trial for the Chicago native R&B star, R. Kelly, the jury found him not guilty on all 14 counts of child pornography. People still believes he's guilty and says, "he simply just got off and paid some people off," he should have gone to jail, and just another celebrity that got off." First and foremost, before I state my point in support of R. Kelly, I will say if he did do something like that, then that will be between him and his Maker. I knew all along that R. Kelly would be found not guilty simply because of his faith in God and if he did do it, he is a changed man and has already taken that up with God and have learned his lesson. He will pay for it another way. Who knows? That is between him and his Maker. Kelly prayed, repented from the heart and had faith that he would not serve any jail time and be able to resume with his life and career. I'm not saying this because he is a celebrity and I'm a fan of his. An everyday man can live by this same faith if he is truly remorseful for his actions and is ready to face God and make a change. People make mistakes and people do have issues that they need to deal with. If someone has a problem, why not get to the root of the problem and help that person? Why is everyone so quick to pass judgment and punishment?

Some people I've talked to were not happy with the verdict and still want to call him a child molester and say that he got away with it. I also know some guys that feel Kelly should have been imprisoned because they have daughters and are unmerciful toward the singer. How can anyone say he did it if they were not physically there and have no sufficient, concrete evidence to be so sure he did it? One person said, "Acquitted does not mean innocent. It just means he cannot be found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt." It is true that you aren't innocent because you were acquitted. Isn't it also logical or reasonable to not hold a grudge at ones acquittal if you either have no evidence, weren't a witness, or if you are not God who knows all? According to the news, some jurors were interviewed and said they didn’t believe that was R. Kelly on the tape. A Chicago native mom reacting to the verdict also said, "Once again, a superstar living above the law." How can one allow themselves to be upset at a person and dislike a person because of an accusation brought against that individual? If someone says that you personally are a thief and more people decide to join the bandwagon and call you a thief, does that make you a thief while you know you're not a thief and have never stolen anything in your life? Society seems to forget about mercy. Everyone wants mercy, but don't want to give mercy. What about God's mercy? If God did not have mercy, Kelly would not have been acquitted.

I myself was actually guilty and pled guilty in a case when I was younger. I was true with God, repented sincerely, and prayed and had faith that I would not have to go to jail and would be able to move on with my life and not again revert to my old actions that got me into this situation. The Lord had favor and mercy upon me and I didn't see not even one half a second in prison. For those that say Kelly paid them off, I pled guilty in this case and I was not a celebrity with money to pay anyone off! Kelly also quietly said, "Thank you Jesus," after the verdict was read on each count. A man of God would not have said that. Some may say a man of God would not have been in this situation. Please know that people of God are not perfect, and certain situations, whether you bring on yourself or not, brings you closer to God. Once he delivers you, hopefully you learn from it and try to continue walking a good path of life.

I know so many people that made comments like, "Oh, now R Kelly wants to sing gospel and make up songs about God on the U Saved Me CD, after he gets in trouble." That statement is so ignorant because those of us that have God in us will have moments in life where we will stray from our straight and narrow path, and those are the moments that bring us right back to God and get us back on the right track. This doesn’t mean you can do anything and expect God to get you out of it, but it just means God is merciful and forgiving and we are allowed second chances in life. Furthermore, you can't just "make up" songs about God. What he sang was true, real, and from the heart. How many people even bothered to listen to the U Saved Me CD? Some bought the double CD, but only listened to the Happy People CD, and not, U Saved Me because of their anger of the charges that were brought against him. When I listen to it, I can clearly see that Kelly knows his position and where he stands with God. That is all that matters that anyone knows their place with God. When charges were initially brought against him, radio stations trashed him, and also rap mogul, Jay-Z, refused to continue the Best of Both Worlds tour with him. This goes back to that bandwagon factor aforementioned earlier. If it’s just an accusation at the time, then you shouldn't mistreat a person or jump to conclusions. "Judge not, and ye be not judged." He is a successful wealthy black man, and society will do anything in their power to try to bring a black man down. He has a multitude of sex related songs, so those that were after him, tried to use that against him. Of course, if he was known for sex in his music, and multiple child porn accusations have come against him, the average mind may tend to believe he is a child molester. Charges were also filed against him shortly after the song; he and Jay-Z released “Guilty Until Proven Innocent”. Just shows how society and the media use your own things and try to completely flip it against you.

Think about the woman in the biblical days that committed adultery and the Pharisees said they were commanded by Moses in the law to stone her for that and Jesus told them, "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." They couldn't do it because Jesus basically told them in a connotation sense, you all are sinners and all have your fair share of dirt, so how can you come down on the next person for whatever they did, and if you feel you have no dirt, then be the first to cast a stone at her. He knew none of them were dirt free, so why are they trying to stone her? If that was the case, then they should have been stoned too. With that being said, the trial is over, leave Kels alone, and let him move on with his life and get back to his work.

Note: The story about the woman that committed adultery is in John chapter 8 if you want to reference that.