What
is just judgement? It is one which acquits the innocent and punishes the
guilty. Solomon warns about unjust judgement: “He that justifieth the wicked,
and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD”
(Proverbs 17:15).
Yet,
it is not always the case in this world. Sometimes we see that the wicked men
are excused and exonerated, and even protected while the just men are
criticized and condemned, and even punished. For example, in 2013, a court
ordered an Oregon bakery to pay a lesbian couple $135,000 for refusing to make
a wedding cake for them. In 2015, a florist who declined to provide flowers for
a same-sex wedding because of her Christian belief was fined $1,001 by a
Washington court and will be held liable to pay the legal fees incurred by the
gay couple, which could "devastate" her financially. Those are just
two of the many cases in which the righteous were condemned while the wicked
were justified. Well, God hates those who justify the wicked while condemning
the just.
At
the trial of Jesus, we see the righteous Son of God was condemned to be
crucified while a murderer was released (Luke 23:18-21). Again, a case of
justifying the wicked while condemning the righteous.
Paul
wrote concerning love: “Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the
truth” (1 Corinthians 13”6). Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing. It takes
no delight in sin. It does not condone sin, will not be a partner to anyone who
does it, and will not commit it himself. “Blessed is the man that walketh
not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor
sitteth in the seat of the scornful” (Psalm 1:1).
Have
you been guilty of justifying the wicked and condemning the righteous? Of
course, you will say you have always been just. But, have you been guilty of
taking side between two squabbling persons? Like siding with your friends or
children even when they were wrong? We read of parents challenging a school
principal because his son was punished in school. Does he think a school will
punish a well-behaved kid? Have you been guilty of “siding” your child?
What
if your friend was issued a parking ticket? Did you tell him that he should be
honest and that he was wrong not to display a parking coupon? Or you joined him
in ranting at the parking warden and commenting how nasty persons parking
wardens are? If you did, you were justifying the wicked and condemning the
righteous.
In
the news yesterday was a man who went to his nine years old daughter’s school,
interrupted the class while a teacher was teaching, pulled out a boy and
slapped him on the face. The reason: his daughter had complained about this boy
bullying her. Not only did the man continue to haul accusations at the victim
but also proceeded to lecture the class on how it was wrong to bully others or
behave like gangsters. Unbelievable! The big bully and gangster telling some
young boys and girls not to bully other or behave like gangsters. Somebody
please give him a mirror.
A
mirror is what we all need. We know the doctrines but fail to practise them. We
know we must be just and impartial. But we are not always just and impartial;
we are respecters of persons. We take side when our friends have a quarrel with
some others.
Our
Lord says: “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous
judgment” (John 7:24). Let us be righteous when we judge.
Jimmy Lau
Psa
119:97 Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.
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