Justice Served
Few missed the announcement of the verdicts in Minneapolis on Wednesday against former police officer Derek Chauvin who was found guilty of the death of George Floyd. Mr. Chauvin received the presumption of innocence and due process of the law as our flawed system worked in a way that many critics thought impossible.
It wasn’t perfect. Could a trial be fairly held in Hennepin County with such a high-profile case? Why didn't the judge sequester the jury to protect them from any undue influence like threats from protesters to burn down the city of Minneapolis unless a guilty verdict was reached, or public statements made by politicians (including our President) that were prejudicial in advance of the verdict, or the announcement by the city of Minneapolis of a $27 million dollar payout before the trial even started? Even the judge admitted that these statements could be grounds for the defendant to mount a successful appeal to overturn his conviction.
We are all grateful for our law enforcement officers who risk their lives daily to protect and serve us, yet we are also saddened in those cases where authority is misused and it causes harm to the very people they seek to protect.
We are guilty people living in a guilty world. God loves justice and is perfectly just, yet justice this side of heaven is imperfect.
As believers, we can see ourselves in the verdict and consequence of former officer Derek Chauvin.
We sin, even when we think we are doing what is needed to address injustices around us.
We are examined not by a jury, but by God, the perfect Judge of all, and are guilty as charged.
We are undeservedly shocked and blessed that our Judge would allow (even determine) His Son to take our punishment for us.
We are granted an eternal pardon, a gift from the Judge who is also our glorious Father who will bring us to His heavenly home.
Yes, justice was served in the Derek Chauvin case (with all its imperfections), but perfect justice has been served for you and me as followers of Jesus Christ since God is “the just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:26). In Christ, you and I are now eternally “not guilty.”
Take a moment to thank the Lord for gifting you His righteousness. Pray for justice to be restored in our nation. Lift up our law enforcement officers who are living under intense scrutiny as they serve and protect our communities. Ask the Lord to motivate you to spread His justice story to all who still need to embrace the eternal benefit of His “not guilty” verdict in Jesus Christ (Romans 8:1).
Oh yes, don’t forget this: “If anyone sins (and we still do), we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1). It doesn’t get any better than this.
Pastor Jeff