Judgement or Forgiveness?

I think of The Shack and the section on judgement, and how easily we all rush in to sit judgement on others, eager to shine the light on poor choices, and at the ready with how we would have done things differently. Easy to sit in that chair, but not so easy to measure the ‘punishment’. How much for an indiscretion; what’s the fee on a lie? Where to for hurting someone, even if it was an accident, or unintentional? How long for harbouring ill wishes on someone? What’s the penalty for doing something that ultimately changes another person’s life? How do we decide the cost on stealing, cheating, lying? What purpose will our ‘sentence’ serve? Who will it serve – us, or them? Or neither? And how about when we aren’t in the judgement chair, but in front of it, being judged?  Doesn’t it all change somehow, and we have reasons for choices, for actions? We were younger, or foolish, or not thinking, or made a bad choice, but surely we aren’t going to ‘sentenced’ for this, now?

Sometimes I think it’s about learning from our poor choices/mistakes, and how might the learning serve me. But what if it doesn’t? What if I make the same (poor) choice more than once? Then what? Does this then justify the punishment? So, how many ‘strikes’ do I get? How many do I offer to another? Do unto others . . .

Judging and sentencing is a scary seat. I think perhaps reflection and forgiveness, and moving forward are easier actions.