"There is One Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?" James 5:12
She walked out to her new, pearly white car, focused on the birthday dinner she was headed to, going over a mental checklist in her head: "Did I brush my hair? Did I grab the card? Where are my keys? Am I overdressed? Do I need a bag?"
While these thoughts occupied her mind, a nice long scratch on the passenger door caught her attention. "Hmmm, I must've hit something. But I don't remember hitting anything this hard." As she traces the scratch with her tiny finger, she realizes it goes from the rear door on the passenger side, to the hood, and all the way around to the driver's side door. The scratch makes almost a complete circle around her new car, sparing only the trunk.
Immediately, she puts on her judge costume and pretends to hand out what she considers justice. She didn't even notice that in order to put on this costume, she needed to take off the gossip outfit she was previously wearing.
With her gavel in hand, she begins to asses the situation. "Nobody should think that keying a car is okay, especially to someone like me. I just bought this car. I haven't even made the first payment yet!" *Bangs her gavel* "How dare they?" *Bang, Bang, Bang* "Oh, they deserve to be punished. I'll check the security cameras. I'll show them who they are messing with." *BANG, BANG, BANG*
And she would've continued on in that destructive, make-believe court case if Someone hadn't intervened and stopped her gavel.
"You are not the judge, little one. I am."
As clear as day, she hears Him speak. "To you, the one who was just gossiping about another person, I say be quiet. You are not the author of judgement. That responsibility resides with Me and only Me."
She drops the gavel. It's as if her eyes have been opened to something she's been too proud to see. How dare she speak as if she has that authority? How dare she try to usurp the Throne of the Judge who has always, and will always, fight her battles? But this isn't the first time she's put on her Judge costume.
She checks her pockets. Sure enough, she pulls out judgement cards to hand out whenever she pleases. Are you wearing a dress that is too short or too tight? Here's a card. Gosh, you sure are complaining a whole lot. Take a judgement card. Hugging your boyfriend in church? Yeah, three cards for you. Have tattoos or piercings? Take a few cards.
She hangs her head. Oh, how blind she has been. Slowly, she steps out of her judge costume and lets it fall to the ground. She looks up. It's as if new life has begun - a new life where she can trust the gavel and the Judge.
