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Recently I received by mail the unanticipated Jury notice. It was as enthusiastically welcomed as a letter from the IRS. God had been speaking to me in this general area, so I wasn't totally surprised. Jury duty has everything to do with judgment--and that can be an icy slope toward catastrophic results. I believe that a verdict should be derived solely based on facts supported by strong evidence, instead of a verdict based on the preponderance of guilt by association and appearance.
I cringe when I read of a juror on a murder trial explaining the rationale for reaching a guilty verdict being based on the defendant's lack of remorse. What does looks have to do with rendering a just decision based on evidence? Instead of following evidentiary procedure, this juror felt compelled to base part or maybe all of their judgment on a person's demeanor.
I hope I don't get called for a murder trial. Mainly because they are so long and drawn out. I just want to fulfill my one-day obligation. But no matter what trial I am placed on, if indeed I am chosen, I hope that I will judge the facts and not faces. The natural tendency to illicit the truth from facial features may come from our desire to reach the truth by the shortest and least strenuous route. It takes more time to weed through facts. So let's just take a quick look-see...
Sometimes we fall into the trap of reading into a situation by the expressions of a person's face. It's second nature for those of us who had to learn this coping mechanism for surviving as children growing up in a dysfunctional home. However this skill isn't consistent with godliness. We are told to judge the fruit of a man's work, which implies we are not to judge the person.
Our personal problems of the past lie dormant in our subconscious and can surface in the most unproductive manner when we judge other people. We see ourselves in the people we pick apart because deep down we are identifying with the same issues. (See Romans 2:1) We should be aware of these situations and allow God the opportunity of making every aspect of our life complete by asking for His assistance in correcting our own deep-seated issues. Though it's a painful procedure, like any successful surgical outcome, it only ensures for a spiritually healthy life.
I desire to have this quality present in my everyday life, with people I come in contact with, my family and friends. Undoing the natural tendencies of judging people can only be accomplished by the acceptance of God's unconditional love. So I will give you an update to the outcome of my jury experience and let you know if I was able to practice what I preach. Shalom.
I cringe when I read of a juror on a murder trial explaining the rationale for reaching a guilty verdict being based on the defendant's lack of remorse. What does looks have to do with rendering a just decision based on evidence? Instead of following evidentiary procedure, this juror felt compelled to base part or maybe all of their judgment on a person's demeanor.
I hope I don't get called for a murder trial. Mainly because they are so long and drawn out. I just want to fulfill my one-day obligation. But no matter what trial I am placed on, if indeed I am chosen, I hope that I will judge the facts and not faces. The natural tendency to illicit the truth from facial features may come from our desire to reach the truth by the shortest and least strenuous route. It takes more time to weed through facts. So let's just take a quick look-see...
Sometimes we fall into the trap of reading into a situation by the expressions of a person's face. It's second nature for those of us who had to learn this coping mechanism for surviving as children growing up in a dysfunctional home. However this skill isn't consistent with godliness. We are told to judge the fruit of a man's work, which implies we are not to judge the person.
Our personal problems of the past lie dormant in our subconscious and can surface in the most unproductive manner when we judge other people. We see ourselves in the people we pick apart because deep down we are identifying with the same issues. (See Romans 2:1) We should be aware of these situations and allow God the opportunity of making every aspect of our life complete by asking for His assistance in correcting our own deep-seated issues. Though it's a painful procedure, like any successful surgical outcome, it only ensures for a spiritually healthy life.
I desire to have this quality present in my everyday life, with people I come in contact with, my family and friends. Undoing the natural tendencies of judging people can only be accomplished by the acceptance of God's unconditional love. So I will give you an update to the outcome of my jury experience and let you know if I was able to practice what I preach. Shalom.
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