“Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour” (Leviticus 19:15).
TEXT — Leviticus 19:15-21
Message
In September 2018 in Dallas, Texas, USA, Amber Guyger, a white police officer, who was offduty but still in her uniform, entered an apartment she believed was her own but actually belonged to Botham Jean, a 26-year-old black man. She shot and killed Jean, claiming she mistook him for an intruder in her own apartment. During the trial, the prosecution argued that Guyger’s actions were unreasonable and negligent and that her use of deadly force was unjustified. Guyger was held accountable for her actions and subsequently convicted of murder in October 2019.
Considering the pervasive nature of racism in the globe, the jury that handled the above case deserves commendation for their intrepidity and fairness. Conversely, judges, magistrates, lawyers and other leaders in various positions of adjudication, who distort judgments in favour of the guilty in exchange for material or other gratifications, should cover their faces in shame. The Bible unequivocally states, “…rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil” (Romans 13:3). Persons in positions of authority, secular or spiritual, must, therefore, realise that they are under obligation to “do no unrighteousness in judgment.”
God used backslidden Israel to chastise Judah for their backsliding; yet the same God sent Prophet Oded to warn Israel against overstepping reasonable limits in punishing their brethren. This means that there is a need for caution even when we find ourselves in positions of power and authority deciding the fate of those who err against the Lord or contravene the administrative rules of the church or the statutes of the nation. We must learn to temper justice with mercy. Otherwise, we might attract divine rebuke.
Thought for the day
Equity and justice must be our watchword in divine service.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
