I just have a question: how long should Michael Vick continue to pay his debt to society? If he was tried, found guilty, sentenced, and did his time, how much more should we require of him? So when is time served…time served? And once a man serves his time, should he be allowed to work at his livelihood again? What does restitution and penitence look like if a person is not allowed to re-enter into society? How is change measured for an outcast?
My beloved pet is a pit-bull. It sickens me to think of her sweet nature and eagerness to please being manipulated and coaxed into vicious ferocity. The drive to live beating out the tendency towards gentleness. The bloody, messy things people watch for sport and entertainment just boggle my mind.
But the bloodsport didn’t end the day Michael Vick’s dog-fighting ring shut down. The media has carved up Michael Vick’s identity (and all the complexity that comes with being a human being) and left the lopped-off remains: Criminal. Convict. Unforgiven.
What surprises me, though, is the vigorous condemnation after Vick served his time, from people whom I call brothers and sisters in Christ; people who judge any team or organization who would hire this hateful dog-murderer.
The irony, thick as molasses, sits heavy in my heart; people value the dogs more than the man. People who represent a Man who was murdered for folks just like Michael Vick, sound more like Pharisees. People who cheapen the word “justice” (because he did his time) and completely draw a blank on “grace.” The logic escapes me that in order to keep a man from harming dogs, society should bar him from gainful employment and his primary talent.
I, for one, was waiting with baited breath to see who would touch him, take a chance on him, hire him. Because the only difference between him and me is that my dirty laundry doesn’t get aired, because my Savior has covered me, cleanses me, and commissions me to do and be who He uniquely created me to be. He sets me up for second chances. He is the person who sees the philandering tax collector and says, “follow me.” He gives refreshment and life to a Samaritan woman who’s looked in all the wrong places for satisfaction. He turns a murderous zealot into an international witness, coach and church-planter. He’s no stranger to the Michael Vicks of this world.
We are all looking for redemption and a second chance when (not if) we fail. And through faith in Jesus Christ, we can be set free; time served, no probation.
And if this is our unearned inheritance of grace, we should be willing to share.
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You bring up a great point of contention in our judicial service. The problem arises when the judicial and the legislative branches are not on the same page. There is a tired argument about the purpose and affect of the prison system; to reform or to punish?
ReplyDeleteThe unfortunality here is that your case can be sympathized with when speaking about a trivial manner such as dog fighting... what if a child molestor server his/her time and was released? a convicted murder? the list goes on (what of OJ Simpson = not guilty!!!)
For sure we certainly see our fair share of situational ethics played out in our society, propagated through our media. I believe at the end of the day if a criminal is released, then he should be restored - or don't release him (insert comment here on your applicable illustration of grace and forgiveness).
Thom, I know what you mean, because I know the danger of saying, forgive! Time served!
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother was killed by malpractice. Looking into that anesthesiologist's eyes and saying "forgiven" doesn't sit well with me.
Sex offenders and those who prey on the innocent conjure the most ire and anger. I've survived some of that abuse myself. So I know the danger of my post, if we ride the implications out to a dark and seedy end.
At the end of the day, though, I believe that God's grace is dangerous, and vulnerable to abuse. But He chooses to give grace anyway.