Leaving Court: For it is in judging that we are judged?

In the name of helping someone along their journey have I ever sucked the life out of someone and murdered their dreams with my judgement, pessimism, and legalism. Yes. Am I sorry? Yes.

I have been the friend, the parent, the lover, the leader, that started off with "I love you Brother, but..." It came from black and white and "No Compromise" thinking, and seeing the Bible as having all of the answers. I had to learn through fiery trial that the world that God made has many subtleties of color, and that while the Bible has many answers, it has more questions. Gratuitously for me I am justified through faith and not by the law.

"Laws are mere boundaries, that guide us to truth." (Bonhoeffer, Calvin, or maybe just me?)

Christ death on the cross was God's love superceding the law. You know 'The spirit verses the letter'? Where there is a will there is a way. Where there is love there is a way. Guidelines that instruct, reveal, and creative freedoms, not absolutes to stifle, asphyxiate  and control outcomes. The more I study science the more it's foundations are rocked by fluidity of theory. But I, a Christ Wannabelike, know that though I abide by and revere these revelations of function and structure found in natural laws, have I not love, I am an empty void, that leaves only a sucking sound and a cast of broken hearts. Are we the law givers, abiders, and maintainers? Beware for by them we in our fraility, weakness, and dis-ease will be judged by them. Much better to be a keeper of the gate of grace, no? That hot Key stored in our hearts, works! Turn it, you will see that grace is the kingdom of wonder, freedom, and truth revealed daily in an onward adventure without.end. True, standing merely at the gate prodding others to admire it social benevolence toward seekers of rules and regulations, deeming hither on this and ho upon that, is what creates a great society, amirite? And great societies, (though failing to bring us joy with all the work to be done), bring us the 'promise of joy'. Who with a firm melon, could not.want.that?

Children. They detest such things, defy them, and gleefully dance upon them. Like a handfull of molasses resisting being grasped. Courtrooms rarely have children as they are full of yesterday and tomorrow. Rarely are they about the now, today. I often say children, puppies, and clowns have this in common; they live in the moment. Yesterday brings grief, and tomorrow fear. Jesus is in the now. Try meeting him there, in the whirlwind with a childlike faith.

Children— which are we all. When I look at the mass of humanity, I do not see bankers, lawyers, heads of state, I see children who played the games so long as to believe the games are real. I dont see matronly debutants, celebrities, and role models, I see fearful kids who desperately want to be loved. Who need grace and not judgements. Desperate for fleet footed adventures and assurances of hope. Needy of warmth, treats, and laughter.

I used my Key. That ManGod who knocked and I let in, showed me my frailty not to demean or shrink me, but to reveal His loves. Yes, plural. His many many many loves for me. And if for me, than for you, and for them, also. Judgement is no greater than the judge and we all; despite, knowldge, passion, and a wooden gavel, are not fit. Only He is. So take off your black robe, step down and out of the courtroom, and open the gates of Grace. Yes it requires humilty. Yes you might get it wrong, yes Graceland is less than safe, but molding and rotting away in our chairs is worse. Danger is required. And without frailty there is no danger. Vulnerability is not weakness. Vulnerablity is not powerlessness. It is a vehicle revealing power and more importantly, it's source.

It was hot and stuffy in the courtroom, anyway. Full of people you dont like and like you trapped by the very device that they insist will save them; the Law. Fear hath torment, and a cruel taskmaster is he. But, love. Yes —Love. Chainbreaker, dispair taker, precious prognosticator of play. Be it in your heart, on your mouth, and written on your clothes like branding. Your logo is Logos: the story. (Or when you want to play with Legos not when you complain about stepping on them?) Then you will have joy not just the unrequited hope of it. Then you will fly, and soar. If you Vote For Pedro, all your dreams will come true.

Being a Christ follower is not stopping all the sinners from sinning. (For I am certainly incapable of stopping my own sin, often.) I am a mere messengers of The News. Not a lawyer who debates it's tenets. I would do well to study FedEx. They deliver the goods, and move along. They could care less what I do with it.
"But you must be mindful of the rules." you chide, still not.getting.it.
"Color within the lines." you say. And for heaven's sake "Be realistic!" you cry?
No. Jesus came not to make sense of it all. But to bring hope among the senselessness.
It is a scandal, to be sure. And if you still don't get it, pray this simple prayer: "Please show me your loves." or this better and more eloquently penned (albiet more lengthy) poem by Saint Francis (and slightly edited by me):

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, let me sow pardon.
Where there is doubt, let me sow faith.
Where there is despair, let me sow hope.
Where there is sadness, let me sow joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned.
It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
* And it is in judging we are judged, to eternal damnation?
– St. Francis of Assisi
*Amended by me.