crimes

Verdict

~ mercyfortheday ~ Leave a comment

The jury signaled they had made a decision. The judge called the families into the courtroom. Instructions were given to those in attendance. No verbal reaction to the verdict was allowed. Or law enforcement would escort the vocal responders out of the courtroom. The defendant stood to hear his fate. Each count was read with the decision. At the end of the reading, the defendant collapsed with relief. He was acquitted of all charges.

The judge asked the jury if the verdict was unanimous. Yes. They said. This eighteen year old man is now free to live his life. He could walk out of that courtroom as a free man. He could no longer be tried for these offenses ever again.

Regardless, this young man’s life is now forever changed. He’s already been receiving police protection for many months. He will most likely be forced to move out of state and become incognito for awhile. His career plans may have to be rethought. He’s been offered a possible internship. But when will his life ever return to normal? Or, is this his new normal? Life will never be the same.

Some are calling him a hero. Others say he’s a fool. He says he acted in self defense. Others call him a domestic terrorist. A white supremacist. We could argue back and forth for hours. We’re a country divided. We’re a country that needs to get back to loving and obeying God.

Tragedy doesn’t usually give you a heads up. It just happens. And then the next events are crucial for all involved. That’s exactly what happened in this young man’s situation. Some say he shouldn’t have ever gotten involved that night. He was too young. Too inexperienced. Too eager to be a hero. But the events of that night are forever forged in our nation’s history. There is no going back.

Do what is right, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

Once again, the country is torn by a legal decision. Some believe this young man should have been put in prison for life with no chance of parole. Others believe the right decision was made. There will, no doubt, be many strong discussions about this verdict. What did the defense do right? What did the prosecution do wrong? And vice versa. Could or should anything have been done differently?

News outlets and social media are all ablaze with opinions and legal analysis. Influencers are sharing their uneducated opinions on the outcome of the trial. Some of their followers are unfollowing them, because their beliefs are at an obvious difference. And everyone has a choice of who they follow and who they don’t. Influencers are also blocking people who sharply disagree, because they don’t want naysayers clogging their feed.

Some are calling for rioting in the city. Others are begging for peace. Some disagree with the verdict, but they’re asking for everyone to accept the judgment. Some cities are rioting. Others are claiming justice was served.

It’s easy to judge someone when we haven’t walked in their shoes. We may think we know what’s best when the problem is someone else’s. It’s easy to make decisions when it affects them and not us. Because we always do the right thing. Don’t we? It’s always the other person who’s wrong. That’s what we think. Because if we think we’re right, then the other person is wrong.

The defendant, the defense team, the jury, the judge and his family have received death threats. People are taking this case personally. Some have decided that racism is involved. Others don’t agree. Can we we find any common ground? Can’t we come to the table and discuss our differences? Can we agree to disagree? Can we no longer seek peace and pursue it? Why are we so divided these days?

I read that it’s easy to take a stand when it doesn’t cost you anything. So what’s the answer? We’ve got to get America back to God.

I wonder. What would happen if we actually did what was right? What if we truly loved mercy? And what if we put all our effort into walking humbly with our God? This world would be in much different shape than it is today. The only verdict we would be waiting for would be when we enter eternity and hear the words “Welcome home, my child. Well done, my good and faithful servant. Enter into your eternal reward.”

High Crimes and Misdemeanors

~ mercyfortheday ~ Leave a comment

History has been written. He was charged with trumped up crimes. He had been arrested by the leading priests out of envy. A kangaroo court was held at night. Bogus witnesses were brought in. Lies were told about him. Fabricated stories were shared to make the man appear to be a criminal.

He kept to his story. The truth. That’s all he had ever shared. No embellishments. No condemnation. He proclaimed that he was the great “I Am”. 

He had been seen performing miracles. He had been heard explaining Scripture and prophecies in the temple. Some people were amazed at his teaching, while others ridiculed him for speaking the truth. His former neighbors couldn’t believe that this man who once was a carpenter was claiming to be the Messiah. The Savior of the world. He was saying he was God himself.

Jesus’ enemies watched him closely. If he performed a miracle on the Sabbath, they cried foul. He called them out for their double standards. They demanded justice. He looked at them with pity, for he knew their hearts were hardened against him and the truth. They plotted how to kill him.

The teachers of religious law claimed he was possessed by satan. How can God Almighty be possessed by the devil himself?

Now he was on trial. Crowds rallied against him. Even though they had witnessed his miracles. Even though he had welcomed them and their children with open arms. He had broken bread with them. He never spoke ill of them. His crime was loving them. That he was guilty of. There is no doubt.

When asked to prove who he was, he kept silent. He was beaten to a pulp. His clothes were pulled off of him. The soldiers rolled dice to see who would get a piece of fabric he wore.

Oh. He was mocked. He was taunted. He was spit on. He was abused to the nth degree. But they could not prove that he had sinned or committed a crime.  Because he hadn’t. He was innocent.

When they placed the crown of thorns on his head, you can bet he shook with pain. When they heaved the heavy wooden cross on his back, he trembled from the weight of it. When he was forced to walk up the path to the hill of Calvary, he struggled from weakness. He couldn’t carry the weight of the cross alone. Someone else was forced to carry the weapon of death for him. When his side was slit open, he gasped from the shock. When the gall soaked sponge was pressed to his lips, he drank. Then his torn, worn out body gave up and breathed a final breath. It. Is. Finished. 

This man was innocent of any and all crimes. But through the three years of his ministry, he was constantly ridiculed and mocked. He was denied justice. A hardened criminal was freed in his place. At his sentencing, a murderer was set free, and the innocent Son of God was sentenced to death.

Don’t be afraid. Just have faith. Mark 5:36

His name is Immanuel. God with us. Whether we seek his presence or even acknowledge him, he is with us. Even now. So many years after his birth as a human, he is still with us.

Even as a toddler, he was hunted. King Herod went on a rampage and had boys age 2 and under killed. This child was on the wanted list before he could speak. How dare he even be born. This God child. It was his Father’s plan for him to physically come to earth. He knew his birth would start a revolution that to this day has never ended. But he still sent his son to live among God’s creation. He worked and moved among God’s chosen people and those who rejected God. He was one of them for 33 years.

And when the time came for him to show and prove his true identity, the naysayers also showed themselves for who they really were. Was it a crime to heal people? Was it a crime to speak the truth? Was it a crime to be God?

Some say it depends on who you ask. But it doesn’t. In this case, the truth will prevail.

He showed the world. The past world and present day. Sure. They killed the physical body that God wore for a few years. But they didn’t kill God. God isn’t killable. He was alive. He is alive today. And he will always live. He is not guilty of a crime. He cannot sin. He loves and He forgives. The one who died in that body on the cross is sitting at the right hand of God in heaven today. He is preparing space for you and for me to join him.