Whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. [James 2:10]
When police arrested a man who had abducted and abused two children, people very much wanted to know the reason for the abduction and the character of the abductor. In an interview with a reporter, a neighbor said, "He's not a monster."
In its most literal sense, this statement is quite true. The man who abducted these children might also be good to his mother and contribute to the World Wildlife Fund. Human beings are very complex individuals, capable of exhibiting behavior in one setting that is completely at odds with their behavior in a different setting. It is not hard to imagine that a child's abductor could behave like a pleasant, kind and friendly person in the company of other people. We have heard many such stories.
The Bible prepares us to know this truth about people. The first family on earth showed precisely this complexity. Cain killed Abel, even though Cain's public appearance was that of a row-crop farmer, a man whose worst crime might be leaving a bushel of zucchini on your front porch. It is hard to imagine how such a man could kill anyone, let alone his own brother.
If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? [Genesis 4:7]
Regardless of a man's image with the neighbors, his arrest for kidnapping and child abuse changes people's view of him. No matter how good he is to his mother, he has been accused of real crimes, and the court of public opinion quickly labels him a monster. If he is convicted in a court of law, then he goes to jail.
I am glad courts convict and punish criminals, but Christ has not called me to label those criminals and judge them the same way a court of law does. The court must identify the criminal act and punish the whole person for the criminal act. As a baptized child of God, marked with the cross of Christ forever, I am obligated to look at the whole, complicated person. My baptism does not obligate me to interfere with the arrest, trial and punishment of criminals, but it does obligate me to view those people the way God views them. When Christ told the story of the final judgment, one of the identifying traits of those destined for eternal life was their attitude toward prisoners.
Then the righteous will answer him, '... And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?' And the king will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.' Matthew 25:37-40
Jesus did not suggest that people who break the law should be excused from imprisonment, but he did make it clear that those prisoners are still human, still loved by God. Before God, we are all completely unrighteous, totally unworthy of his grace, but through Christ, we are all washed clean and forgiven, whether or not we are monsters.
When the nightly news reports the arrest of a person who has committed horrific crimes, we should be glad that this person is off the streets. When that person is incarcerated, we should be grateful that there is a way to protect society from the atrocities that person commits. Nevertheless, remembering that each of us is marked with the cross of Christ and cleansed by his blood, we need to remember that Jesus loves prisoners so much that He died for them, too. They must pay the price for their crimes, whatever that may be, here on earth, but we who live outside the prison walls need to remember that inside or out, there are no pure saints. There are only sinners saved by grace.
[The criminal] said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." He replied, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise." Luke 23:39-43
Katherine Harms -- http://katherineharms.com With the Holy Spirit as the wind in my sails, I'm Living on Tilt. Join me in the great adventure, growing in faith, living in confidence, fulfilling your unique creation promise. Visit my website for devotional materials and Christian fiction.
No comments:
Post a Comment