Living in the Spirit

November 20, 2022

Scripture Reading: Luke 23:33-43

One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, ‘Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’ –Luke 23:38-43

Restorative justice is the work of helping someone turn around from errors they may have made and refocus their lives on positive outcomes. We all require it at one time or another. Restorative justice not only requires forgiveness but refocusing. We most often apply the term to persons who have been found guilty of a crime.

In our judicial system today, that is the last place we see restorative justice at work. However, there are a few bright lights to guide us. Oklahoma instigated a drug court system that deals with people caught up in the use and abuse of drugs. Rather than sending them to prison, we offer them the opportunity to identify a plan that is approved by the court and if they comply with the tenets of the plan, over time, they can remain in their community and be a productive citizen. Plans include such things as getting treatment for addiction, getting and keeping a job, etc.

Another form of restorative justice is a program I heard about prisoners who were serving life without parole sentences and who were taught to train service dogs. One of these prisoners said he first encountered unconditional love through those dogs who showed him what it meant to be loved.

Prayer: Lord, show us more ways to provide restorative justice. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.