Exodus 23:6-9, Isaiah 5:22-24

There are dangers inherent in every system of justice.  People can make false charges.  People can try to subvert the outcome through bribery.  The innocent can be condemned and killed.

The Law and the Prophets condemn these practices as “despising the word of the Lord” and warn of God’s judgment against those who pervert justice. 

In Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, a judge received bribes from Correction Corporation of America, a private prison company.  In exchange, he sentenced juveniles to their prison for the most minor infractions, ensuring their profits.  In Chicago in the 1970s and 1980s African Americans were routinely rounded up, tortured and coerced into confessions that were later used against them in trial.  Scores of innocent people ended up wrongly convicted—11 of them were sentenced to death row.  

What other instances can you think of where justice has been perverted? 

Link HERE to a story about a man who was coerced into a confession and was sentenced to 100 years in prison for a sexual assault he did not commit.  

Genesis 39:1-23

Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and he ended up in Egypt in the house of Potiphar.  However, when Potiphar’s wife accused him of attempted rape he was placed in prison—wrongly convicted.  It is interesting that Potiphar’s wife pointed to Joseph’s ethnicity twice in her accusation.  Why do you think she did that?  Who would be more likely believed—the wife of one of Pharoah’s military officers, or the Hebrew slave?  What power did Joseph have within the justice system of Egypt?

Who in our day are most likely to have experiences similar to Joseph?  Though God was with Joseph throughout his experience and ultimately used it for good, no one should be falsely accused and wrongfully convicted and imprisoned.

Link HERE  to read the full story of Maurice Patterson, wrongfully convicted of murder in 2002.  The proof of Mr. Patterson’s innocence was always available, but no one bothered to place it into evidence—including Mr. Patterson’s court-appointed lawyer.  Mr. Patterson was finally released from prison in 2010, having served 6 years for a crime he did not commit.   What factors do you think led to Mr. Patterson’s wrongful conviction?

Titus 1:5-13

How can you tell if a Cretan is lying?  When his lips move.  That’s what one of the Cretan prophets said.  And the Apostle Paul seemed to agree.  Really?  ALL Cretans?  Every last one of them?  Statements like this lead to the creation of stereotypes which in turn lead to behaviors of mistrust and mistreatment.  Left unchallenged, stereotypes can lead to policies of institutional discrimination and marginalization.  Given the generalized beliefs about the character of Cretans, how do you think they were treated in the church?

We have a long history of creating stereotypes of ethnic and racial minorities—stereotypes that have lead to institutional discrimination both in the church and society at large.  In large part, the accepted stereotype that African-Americans males are criminals has resulted in aggressive policing of minority communities, race profiling, and an over-representation in our correctional system.  Minorities are suspected of criminal behavior long before any crime occurs.  Minorities receive harsher sentences than non-minorities for the same crime.  There are scores of high-profile cases where people of color were treated like criminals for doing nothing such as Harvard professor, Luis Gates, trying to enter his own home after locking himself out.

How have you been influenced by the stereotypes of African American males?  What other stereotypes influence how you relate to people who are different from yourself?  How can you, as a person of faith, challenge the stereotypes?

Psalm 82 – New International Version and The Message Paraphrase

In this Psalm (as paraphrased in The Message), God calls judges into God’s courtroom and calls them on the carpet.  What are the charges that God brings against the judges?  What is the consequences of their failure?  What does God propose to do to the unjust judges?

What charges do you think God would bring against those in charge of our justice system?  In what ways are our systems of “law and order” resulting in “disorder” where “the world is coming unglued”?  What can you and your faith community do to hold judges accountable?

The final prayer of Psalm 82 is “Rise up, O God, judge the earth” (NIV)  How does the image of God presiding as the Supreme Court justice over the court system make you feel?  Is this hopeful?  Why?

There is no devotional for Sunday, March 16, 2014

Deuteronomy 27:19, Isaiah 1:17, Luke 18:1-8

In the parable that Jesus told, a widow goes before a judge in a civil case, seeking a judgment against her opponent.  What makes this judge “unjust”?  Why do you think it took so long to get a judgment?  What do the Law and the Prophets indicate is the responsibility of this judge?  How is God different from the judge in this case?

What do you think Jesus meant when he asked, “when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”  What does the context of this question suggest is the content of “faith”?  Do you find faith on the earth? 

Micah 7:1-3, 1 Kings 21:1-16

Micah laments that Israel’s justice system is broken.  What specifically does he see that makes him feel empty?

The story of Jezebel, King Ahab’s wife, from 1 Kings is an example of the abuse of the “court” system to get what she wants.  Using her husband’s seal, she directs the elders of the community (the judges) to call a sacred assembly, have two witnesses testify that Naboth has cursed God and the King, and then stone Naboth.  What are the power dynamics at work in this example of a justice system gone bad?  Where have you seen people with power “work the system” to get what they want?

How does this story make you feel?  What do you specifically see in our justice system that makes you feel sick to your stomach?

2 Samuel 15:1-6

Absalom, King David’s son, has been kept outside his father’s political circle, and over the course of several years, he awaits an opportunity to stage a political coup.  Like any excellent politician, he establishes a rapport with the public primarily by lamenting the state of the current justice system and listening to their civil disputes.

How do you feel about the state of our current justice/correctional system?  How does your feeling affect the way you hear politicians and the way you vote?  Is simply wanting change a good motivation for selecting leaders?  Why or why not?

Often candidates–especially conservative candidates–appeal to Christians for support.  How do you evaluate whether a candidate should receive your support?  What issues most influence your vote?  In this election year, the issue of “law and order” and our justice system will likely be a part of the political discourse.  Before you support any candidate, find out their stands on issues like mandatory sentences, privatization of state prisons, deportation of immigrants and continuation of the “War on Drugs” to see if they align with God’s desire for justice, mercy and reconciliation.

1 Timothy 2:1-4

When was the last time you prayed for those in government positions of power?  For judges and our courts?  As Primary Election Day approaches, pray for those who are leaders and judges.  Pray that those who have power will use that power to create policies and administer justice that will lead to peace (shalom) and dignity.

1 Samuel 8:1-3

Samuel, who has been a judge in Israel for years, appoints his two sons to the position of judge near the end of his life.  Yet they turn out to be corrupt.  Why do you think Samuel took this step assuming he knew the character of his sons?  Where do you see nepotism in our judicial system? 

In Illinois, voters choose all judges. At the trial level, there are two types of judges. Subcircuit judges are elected from a defined geographic area and must live in that area. County-wide judges are elected by voters throughout Cook County and may live anywhere in the County. Once elected, both sub-circuit and county-wide judges have the same powers and may be placed in any division of the Circuit Court system.  Appellate Court judges are elected in five districts  in Illinois. Cook County is one of those districts, and panels of judges on the appellate court hear appeals of civil and criminal cases from all over the County.  (If you live in another state, the process may be different.)

Even though judges impact our lives as much as politicians, almost 70% of the voters do not complete the section of the ballot dedicated to election of judges.  More than 15% of voters skip it altogether.

Tuesday, March 18, is the Primary Election.  There are 60 judge vacancies that must be filled by Cook County voters.  Candidates are chosen by the Republican or Democratic parties and often the election is uncontested—for all practical purposes, they are appointed by the party leadership.  The Chicago Appleseed Fund for Justice is a non-partisan organization that compiles a list of the candidates and whether they are considered qualified by a number of lawyer groups.  See the list at http://www.voteforjudges.org/2014_Alliance_Primary_Ratings.pdf  If you are aware of other non-partisan evaluations, please post them.

Link to the 2014 Compact Daily Devotional pages to participate in discussions throughout our Fast for Freedom.