Wednesday, July 13, 2011

My Poly Sci Prof once said....

I will tell you the easiest way to get out of jury duty.  I perked up a little more and took notes on how to get out of jury duty.  He said that the quickest way to get out of jury duty is to inform them that you believe that one is guilty until proven innocent. He said more than likely neither side is going to want you and will quickly dismiss you. He then said if that doesn't work then tell them that you believe in Capital Punishment (an eye for an eye) and he said if that fails then tell them that you think there should still be public hangings and firing squads.  If this doesn't get you out of jury duty then you know that they must be desperate for jurors and are willing to take anyone.

I remember this all so clearly because I recently received summons from 2 different courts to be a juror.  As I held these letters in my hand looking at them I thought to myself would I really stand up in a court and say all of this nonsense just to get out of jury duty. I instantly knew the answer that I could never do that.  Then as I read further I noted that I would be able to get out of jury duty seeing as to how I am the primary caregiver to my 4 boys and that I am still nursing one of them.

As I was reflecting about my old Poly Sci Prof something started to prick in my heart.  "You know that they said I was guilty and had to prove that I was innocent and you know how that turned out." " Do you not remember how you felt as you sat there watching the Passion of the Christ?"  "Do you not remember how your heart felt like it was breaking into pieces and how you cried when you watched me carry my cross through the streets and how I was beaten? " " Remember the horror you felt as they drove the nails into my hands and feet."  I immediately repented and asked God to forgive me for even thinking about saying something like that just to get out of a duty that is ours as citizens of our country.

God spoke further to my heart saying don't you know that one day I will be your judge and how would you want to be judged as being guilty first and have to try and prove your innocence realizing that you will never be able to prove it.  God also made it real to me that as Christains we should embrace the opportunity to be jurors.  You never know when we may be the only ones that will be able to help out that defendant because we may be the only ones praying for God to give us wisdom and guidance to do what is right.  Who knows how many people we may be able to help out just because we are  sensitive to God's gentle whisper to us.

So the next time that I receive jury summons I will not be looking for the easiest way out (that is as long as it is not now since I am still nursing).  But I will look at as a way of serving God and asking him to guide me and the rest of us jurors that we will be sensitive to all that is said and all that is around us.

I know that this is not about my family as I normally write about but I felt like this was something that God wanted me to put down on paper for others to read.

God Bless,
Kelly

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