Slow Justice

Acts 24:27 When two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, but because Felix wanted to grant a favor to the Jews, he left Paul in prison.

We all want swift justice for our selves, unless of course we are the guilty party. Then we usually want to slow down the process, delaying the inevitable. And with justice in the headlines these days, it is a topic of much mudslinging, but not much discussion.

The United States has in the past been a model for the world about what a just justice system would look like. Our system, based on the Roman system, has been envied and copied by many societies. We do it pretty well, not perfect, but pretty well.

But when the injustice is held up as an example of the whole system, the small slice taints the whole picture. It would be like saying all drivers are speeding maniacs when only a few dart in and out of traffic as if they were on the NASCAR circuit. The few crazy drivers don’t define the behavior of the remaining 99%.

There is an interesting turn in the plot of the book of Acts. We have seen it coming. Even Paul himself told everyone that it was coming. But now the man who imprisoned some of the first believers in Jesus is now imprisoned. The very people who gave Paul permission to imprison Christians before he himself became a Christian have now turned their power against Paul and imprisoned him.

Life does take strange and interesting turns sometimes. Things we don’t expect come as an unexpected visitor and camp out in our front yard. We end up caring for our adult children’s children when we thought we would be experiencing freedom to go and to do for ourselves. We get shackled to a dialysis machine restricting our everyday life. The job we depended on for income takes a hit because of a pandemic.

Schools close and we end up home schooling. Our leaders fail to lead in the way we had hoped. Civility has exited the building like the crowd at the end of the movie, barely leaving a trace behind. If there was ever a time I wish there was a ‘flush’ button, today would be the day.

Paul has sat in prison for two years waiting for his day in court. He became a political pawn and he is the only game piece on the board.

Now you would think that this would be a setback for Paul, that he would get bitter or disgruntled with the pace of things. But not so. Paul saw his imprisonment as part of the LORD’s will for his life and ministry. He saw it coming and has embraced it. He is an ambassador for Jesus even in jail.

So whatever unexpected has come our way, we can choose to see the LORD right in the middle of the mess. He is here with us. He will use even this circumstance for His glory. Are we willing to be His lightbulb?