So last week I had to report for jury duty. It ended up being a criminal case, felony weapons and drug possessions charges. During the jury questioning I kept asking myself why a defending attorney had this case and if the defending attorney really thought he had a chance to beat the case. But as instructed many times by the judge and attorneys, we had to presume the defendant innocent. So I had to make my mind up that I would in truth and fairness, if selected to the jury, presume the defendant innocent an give him my part in a fair trial.
But I kept looking at the defendant and trying to think about his situation and through this I started having compassion for this guy. From his looks, he definitely looked like a typical felon and some of the potential jurors even stated they were biased toward his guilt because of his looks. I get that we all make our own decisions and there are consequences for those bad decisions and we must face the consequences here on earth, but I also wonder if this guy, because of the home and or family he had growing up, or lack there of which he has very little control over, started this guy’s life off in a direction that was going to lead him down a life of destruction. Because of lack of love in his home did he even have a fair chance out of the gate? Did he lack the shepherd he needed to lead him to a life outside of crime? My guess would be most likely yes, no shepherd or father figure in his life to teach him or train him up in the way he should go.
The bible tells us a few times that Jesus had compassion on the people.
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew 9:35-36
When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. Matthew 14:14
When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. Mark 6:34
I have since prayed for that man and will continue to pray for him, that God would send people into his life to speak God’s Love and Truth into his life and God would work in ways that only He can. That God would take his life and turn it into a life with purpose, even if it is in a jail setting.
I looked further at this guy’s record and he has been in trouble with the law to various degrees for about half his life and will probably spend a good deal of his life incarcerated unless a major change takes place in his life. But, I have to think and believe that he is not too far down a road where God can’t reach him where God can’t do a miraculous work to bring this man out of the darkness in which he walks and bring him into the light of Jesus’s love and Spirit.
I also thought during the jury selection that any of us are probably just one decision away from heading down the wrong path as well. And if I or my family member was in that defendant’s seat I would want someone to presume innocence as well. I guess that’s the awesome thing about having faith in Jesus Christ, He has sat in the defendant’s seat for us. He took our sentencing and punishment for our crimes and we can now stand before God and His judgement seat with all charges dismissed.
Paul tells us in Colossians, Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:12-13. We are to clothe, put on ourselves pity, compassion, favor, grace, mercy and extend it to those we encounter.
I have to continue to remind myself that even though people do bad things in the world and sometimes to us, we can still love them and show them the love of Jesus, because I think that’s what they truly want deep down, to be loved and felt important. We can show them grace and mercy, for we certainly have been given more that we can ever pay back.
North Point Church – Death Was Arrested
Rhett Walker Band – When Mercy Found Me
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