JURY DUTY: No Whining Allowed!

This past week I served in the District Court. I had been called to show up for jury a week prior, but had excused myself due to guests from Ukraine, thinking they might just pass on me altogether. Instead, they scheduled me the day after my guests left. When I called in, they rescheduled me to a day later. I called in again. I wasn't needed until the following day.

After a week of tiptoeing through my schedule ("I can be there … maybe"), I was a little irritated. Not that I didn't want to serve. I've always wanted to, but being called seemed always to happen at the worst times. This was no exception. My work seemed to be a shambles after all the postponing, and the anxiety of trying to arrange car availability "in case" got to me after a bit.

But I have to look back, and even with the "awful" timing, say, "That was really cool!" It was a civil case with a wonderful judge who taught us so much in the process that I felt I should have been paying her. It was an honor to be invited as a good citizen to have a part in the settling of an important dispute. It was rewarding to see justice done and to know I had a part in it.

Not that it was all easy. My heart broke for the party who lost the case. The individual was obviously in a terrible mess, and yet it was obvious that the case could not be decided in that person's favor. I begged my fellow jurors to pray if they could, that the person would find the healing and help they so desperately needed.

This balance between justice and compassion struck me. Aren't there times in all our lives where the "cases" may not be decided "in our favor"? And yet we are needy in ways we can't even see. We make a case to God and the prayer isn't answered. Yet He is perfectly just and will provide exactly what we need in spite of ourselves, as no earthly judge can do.

I think I have been making some cases that I ought to drop. The odds aren't in my favor, and I may be barking up the wrong tree. Best to withdraw and wait for justice to be done as God sees fit.

And if you get called to actual jury duty, please don't whine. How many countries actually give their citizens a chance to make their nations more fair and just, to actually take part in this process? It's an honor and a great way to learn more about the court system. Next time I know I'm going to whine even less. (: