Righteous Judge

Once upon a time, there was a righteous judge. He always made fair judgments. He was also a father to a wonderful boy named Buddy. The judge was a very good father and loved his son very much. Buddy was a good boy. He adored his father and always tried to please him. Buddy also loved playing baseball with his friends.

One day his friends told him there was a great game going on in the empty lot behind old Wilson’s place. Buddy knew he wasn’t supposed to play in that lot, because old Wilson was a mean stingy old man who was very wealthy. He hated Buddy’s father because the Judge had made him pay for a ticket. Old Wilson thought he shouldn’t have to pay, because he was rich and powerful. Now Old Wilson had a stained glass window that was very valuable and could never be replaced. It was one of a kind. That’s why the judge had asked Buddy not to play on the lot, because he was afraid Buddy would break the window. But Buddy had never hit a ball that far before and besides his dad was at work and wouldn’t find out.

When Buddy got to the lot, the game had just started and he was very excited because he had received a new baseball bat for his birthday. Everything was going fine and the game was almost over. His team was about to win. It was Buddy’s turn at bat and the bases were loaded. He stepped up to the plate with his brand new bat in his hand when the pitcher threw the perfect pitch. Buddy watched the ball until it was in the perfect spot, then… he swung with all his might. He felt the ball crack against the bat and he knew right away that he had hit a home run. No sooner when he hit the ball that the realization of what was about to happen hit him! The other kids gasped and Buddy could only watch in horror as he heard and saw the beautiful window crash and all the colorful pieces fall to the ground. Almost as soon as the window broke, Old Wilson burst out of his house. Buddy felt frozen to the spot as he watched all his friends run away, and he was left to himself on the field to face Old Wilson’s wrath.

“Oh, its you, the Judges’ son,” Old Wilson spat. “Let’s see if he makes his own son pay the price for his crime. That window was worth a million dollars and we all know you don’t have that kind of money,” he said pointing his bony finger in Buddy’s face.

Old Wilson seemed almost joyful as he pulled Buddy into his fathers’ court room by the arm later that evening. Buddy felt mortified as he looked into his fathers’ eyes. They looked back at him with such sadness and love. Although Buddy was ashamed of himself, he was much relieved that his papa was the judge. He would never send his own child to juvenile detention. Although Buddy knew in his heart it was the punishment he deserved. But Buddy’s relief was short lived when he heard his father, the Judge say guilty as charged! I order Buddy to pay one million dollars to Mr. Wilson or spend a year in juvenile detention.

“But Poppa,” Buddy wailed. “You’re my father. Can’t you let me off because I am your child? I am sorry for what I did. I know I deserve the punishment, but you know I don’t have a million dollars and if I go to juvenile detention we will be separated for a whole year!”

”So be it,” said the judge. “Your sentence is pronounced.” Even Old Wilson looked as if the wind was knocked out of him as the gavel came down on the pulpit. The officers started toward Buddy with the handcuffs. Just then, the Judge said, “wait!” Every one watched as the Judge took of his robes and folded them, then laid them neatly on his chair. He came down off the bench and stood next to Buddy. He said, “I am no longer the Judge, I am now your father. I will sell everything I own to pay the price to keep you out of jail and so we won’t be separated.”

We are like Buddy. We have all sinned. Heaven is perfect, and if God allowed us as sinners to go to heaven, it would no longer be perfect. It would be defiled. The Bible says, “the wages (or price) for sin is death—separation from God.” God, being perfect, judges all of us righteously, and like Old Wilson, Satan accuses us. However, Jesus is like the father in this story. He chose to be born a man and he was perfect. He paid the wage or price for our sin if we accept the gift.