THE DEFENDANT

Luke 12:58
King James Version (KJV)

When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison.

Reflections

God’s judgment is coming, and people would be wise to make a settlement with Him beforehand.  A major emphasis of Jesus’ teaching is how to build and maintain right relationships with God and man.  He views these relationships as neither unimportant nor extraneous, but as the essence of which life is made.  Knowing God is our highest priority, but this pursuit should not replace or diminish our interpersonal relationships with God, but should produce within us the qualities of character that build and sustain all our relationships.



Meditation

A number of Jesus' parables deal with crises and impending judgment. What's the point of the parable of the defendant? When you see trouble ahead, foresight can help you avert the worst! If you were up against a bad cause and were likely to get severely penalized, would you not try to settle the case out-of-court to avoid a worse penalty?  This parable points to the urgency of getting right with God. Each of us stands in constant need of God's love and mercy.   His light reveals what is in our hearts and his grace frees us from the tyranny of sin. God's call is urgent and his grace is available for complete transformation in Christ.  Are you ready for his grace and action in your life?

"Lord, change my heart and my life that I may fully live for you.  Help me to choose what is right and to turn away from every sin and from every attachment to worldliness which keeps me from loving and serving you wholeheartedly."

In Closing

Understand that conflicts cause much greater damage to relationships when left unresolved.

Playwright Janet Irene Thomas
Founder/CEO
Bible Stories Theatre of
Fine & Performing Arts
www.biblestoriestheatre.org
info@biblestoriestheatre.org