Facing the judge: An allegory about love and forgiveness

Contributing Writer

The young woman stood in the courtroom, nervously awaiting her hearing. She had heard what seemed to be conflicting views regarding this judge. Some proclaimed that he was severe, always exacting justice. Others insisted he was very kind and merciful. Regardless, she knew her fate was in his hands, and all the evidence was stacked against her. She was quite guilty of the crimes with which she had been charged. Her mind raced as her name was called. The judge told her that he had already reviewed her case, and asked if she had anything to say in her own defense. Hands shaking, voice cracking, she managed to speak. “No, Sir. I’m guilty. I’m the one you can see on the security camera, breaking the fence and throwing trash everywhere. I don’t know why I did it. But I’m really not that bad of a person, compared to other people. And I have been told that you’re nice, so I hope you’ll let me off.”

“Justice demands that the debt must be paid,” the robed authority replied sternly. “It was an extremely expensive fence, and the owner is very unhappy that it was destroyed. The fact that others have done worse things than you has no bearing whatsoever on the consequences of this crime.”

The woman trembled, realizing she would have to slave the rest of her life to pay back what she had done, and it still wouldn’t fulfill the obligation. And what could she say? She had done the damage herself, and knew it was her own fault. The gravity of how she wasn’t as innocent in life as she would like to think began to set in. Her life flashed before her eyes, especially scenes where she had hurt others, whether intentionally or not.

“Is there any way you could have mercy on me?” she sobbed. “I’m very poor. I’ll never be able to finish paying off this debt.”

The judge spoke her name. When she looked up, she noticed that his countenance had changed. “Approach the bench.”

Trembling, she did so.

The judge handed her a parchment with writing on it.

“I acknowledge that the payment for the crime of destroying The Judge’s property was paid for by His Honor, Himself.”

He looked at me with kind, pure eyes. Love such as I had never seen radiated from them. “My child, it was my fence, but I forgive you. Sign the paper saying that your debt was completely fulfilled by me, and you may go free.”

I wrote my name on the contract, barely able to see through the tears of joy and relief.

I asked my redeemer how I could pay him back. He smiled at me. “You can’t. But there’s something you can do to thank me. Tell others about the Grace you received, because it’s for them, too. Everyone has transgressed, whether it’s breaking my fence or hurting one of my children. This gift is free for all who will accept it.”

He waved as I left the courtroom, and I noticed a large scar on his palm.

Free outside, I gazed in awe at my own copy of the redemption paper, and saw something startling about the judge’s signature.

It was written in blood.