Audience with a ruler...

Many seek an audience with a ruler,

but it is from the Lord that man gets justice.

Proverbs 29:26

 

I have, on several occasions, wanted to take my case to the manager of such and such store.  When I receive bad service (or no service) or purchase a defective product, I want justice.  I want the RIGHT THING to be done.

 

Let me share with you a deeply personal story that I trust will help communicate what Proverbs 29:26 is saying.

 

As most people who know me know, my wife is from Venezuela.  She and I met in Miami, FL.  Shortly after we were married, we filed for her citizenship.  I do not know what the requirements and policies are now, but for us it was a very lengthy and costly endure.  (As a side note, it really is humbling when you consider what some people do to earn the citizenship many take for granted.)

 

During one of our visits to INS (they have since changed their name I think), we were asked to wait in the waiting room.  Waiting in a waiting room is fine and proper... but we waited... and waited... and waited.  After an hour of waiting I asked if there was a problem.  I was told, "Please have a seat sir, you will be seen when it is your turn."  We arrived at 10:00 am and saw dozens of people come in after us, get seen before us, and leave; all the while we waited in the drab waiting room.  We waited a total of 6 hours in that waiting room before the clerk responded to my hourly pleas to find out if something had happened to our file. 

 

As it turns out, our case file (literally a file folder) fell behind a piece of furniture and the person we needed to see did not even know we were there.  We were upset to say the least.  What should have taken two hours total turned into an all day adventure.  I won't even get into the whole "passport photo" ordeal that followed.  Need I say I wanted to speak to this person's boss?  What would you have done in my place?

 

Well... we saw the agent, had our interview and proceeded to the next phase of the naturalization process.  We didn't talk to the clerk's boss... nor did we make a stink about the whole thing.  We were not Christians at the time.  I thought that the "highest court in the land" for this issue was the INS office.  You know what... I was wrong.

 

As I mature in my faith, as I come to know Christ in a fuller way, I am so thankful that the Savior of my soul is also the Lord God of creation.  Friends, it is in Christ that we are fulfilled and it is He who works out justice on this planet. Romans 12:19 says very pointedly:

 

Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.

 

Friends, take heart that the Lord Jesus has it all under control and He will exact justice... if not now... when the final curtain is drawn.  It is my prayer that we all find our rest in Him.

 

Shalom.