“Don’t just listen to God’s Word. Act on what you hear." ~ James 1:22
The bailiff belted “All rise!” as one of the most colorful
mayors in NYC’s history entered the night courtroom. In those days, New York
mayors were allowed to act as magistrates, a right Fiorello LaGuardia exercised
frequently.
New Yorkers adored LaGuardia,
nicknaming him the ‘Little Flower' because the three-term mayor always wore a
carnation in his lapel. He rode with firefighters, raided speakeasies with the police,
and took entire orphanages to baseball games. When the local newspapers went on
strike, he even read the Sunday funnies live on the radio.
One bitterly wintry
night in 1935, he chose the city's poorest ward for his jurisprudence. The
first case brought a timid, disheveled, woman before him charged with stealing
a loaf of bread. She wept while explaining that her son-in-law had abandoned
his wife, and along with her daughter’s two young children, they hadn’t eaten
in several days.
The grocer, from whom
the bread was stolen, refused to drop the charges. "Your Honor," the
man explained, she's got to be punished to teach others in the neighborhood a
lesson."
Judge LaGuardia stroked his chin while pondering a
decision. “Mam, the law allows no exception for theft,” he began
empathetically. “Ten dollars or ten days in jail!” But even before hammering
his gavel, the mayor reached into his pocket and dropped a $10 bill into the black
felt hat he sported for collecting the night’s fines.
“Additionally,” LaGuardia ordered, “I’m charging everyone
in this courtroom four bits ($0.50) for living in a city where a person has to
steal bread so that her grandchildren can eat.”
The desperate woman had arrived at the courtroom with a tight
chest and gloomy outlook. She left that night with a genuine warmth of spirit,
a heart filled with gratitude, and heaven’s light radiating from her appearance
- not to mention $37.50 in cash.
Some seventy petty criminals, traffic violators, police
officers, visitors, and one livid grocer each paid four bits for the privilege
of doing what’s right.
For his part, Mayor LaGuardia received a standing ovation.
Sometimes we all get caught up in doing things right - following
rules, policies, and norms. But doing the right things requires positioning
with our moral compass. When the two viewpoints align, there’s no issue. But we’re
often forced to choose when they clash.
Lucky for us, God’s Word is an instructional manual for
having a great life. When we follow His instructions, our lives are blessed
with harmony, joy, and satisfaction.
Life presents us with daily opportunities to do the right
thing. That’s why it’s healthy to occasionally ask, “Am I applying God’s Word
to my life? Am I doing what it says to do?”
Holy Father, remind me that when You call
me, You will equip me. Forgive me when I made excuses or questioned You. I want
to experience Your power at work through me, Your humble servant. Amen
