In the faint light, he saw the shadow of a body lying on the ground. It wasn’t moving. A glint of liquid pooled around the body's side. As he moved closer, he saw the drips of blood ripple the pool below; small waves on pavement. The pool was greatly disturbed by the body moving slightly. Was he alive yet? There might still be a chance. With his strong African American hands he pulled the knife from victim’s side. At that moment headlights bathed him in a drowning light. Drowning was an accurate description. His life sunk to the depths quickly as he found himself behind bars with no one caring to judge him according to truth…according to righteousness. How he wished he could have a judge who judged with the wisdom, might, and truth of the Lord. How he wished someone would simply listen to his story before he passing judgment. But, the judge won’t. His life has been clear-cut of all growing life, and he can see nothing left to grow back and give hope.
She walked into the store in her ripped jeans and asked for an application. There was no point. She knew she wouldn’t be given the job. No one gives jobs to losers. No one gives jobs to slobs. No one will be willing to listen to her story of how her boyfriend abandoned her and her child. No one will want to take the time to find out how she has sold everything she owns for the welfare and benefit of her child. This employer will surely be like all the others. After one look at her ratty clothes the empolyer will make the decision. How she wished people would judge her not by what they see, but by the truth; by righteousness and equity for the poor. Her life has been clear-cut of all growing life, and she can see nothing left to grow back and give hope.
It is a dog eat dog world you know. Does truth and righteousness and equity mean anything anymore, or must we resort to evil when all goodness has been clear-cut from the world? But, if we commit evil in order to restore goodness to the world, and the world is left with only us and our horrendous actions, has the world really been cleansed of evil? How we need a judge who is completely clean from bias and evil.
What do you do when justice seems so far away and the forest of goodness has been clear-cut from your life? Repay evil with evil? Give up and become a stump in a dead forest? Maybe you listen to these words; words of truth concerning our Lord:
"A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
The spirit of the LORD shall rest on him,
the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of counsel and might,
the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
His delight shall be in the fear of the LORD.He shall not judge by what his eyes see,
or decide by what his ears hear;
but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,
and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,
and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist,
and faithfulness the belt around his loins.
The wolf shall live with the lamb,
the leopard shall lie down with the kid,
the calf and the lion and the fatling together,
and a little child shall lead them.
The cow and the bear shall graze,
their young shall lie down together;
and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp,
and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder's den.
They will not hurt or destroy
on all my holy mountain;
for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD
as the waters cover the sea.
On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples;
the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious."
I think we all desire our Lord Jesus Christ: the sprout of new life who can peer through the surface and see the truth, the sprout of new life who never forgets the hurting or disowned, and never judges according common knowledge. Christ is the sprout of new life who brings real justice, real peace, and real truth.
Just today I looked around the confirmation class and noticed that one of the students who had gotten off of the bus was not in class. I got in the car, drove downtown and found her in the gas station with a friend. I told her to get into the car and as we drove off I just about reamed her out for trying to skip class. But, the Spirit of God urged me to remain silent. After a moment, the silence was broken when she told me that her day at school and her life for that matter was terrible and painful. She just could not stand to be around others because she just may have broke down. Had I reamed her out, truth would never have been spoken. Thank the Lord for the Spirit of truth, who sometimes holds our mouths closed so that we may not pass judgment too early. Had the Spirit not kept me quiet, peace and healing would not have been allowed to happen. How we all need a righteous judge.
All Scripture quotes are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyrighted, 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and is used by permission. All rights reserved.
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