Sometimes I find the news disturbing. Occasionally, it's enlightening. And once in a very great while, it's moving. Today was one of those days.
It was hard to not be moved when 24-year-old Amanda Knox learned her fate in an Italian courtroom. While she's been in prison for the past four years, convicted of the murder of her roommate, the credibility of much of the evidence has unraveled. Her appeal reached its crescendo as that black-robed judge announced the jury's decision. Because she's learned a lot of Italian during her incarceration, she understood his words. Especially the one word she was desperate to hear.
Free.
The judge said Amanda Knox was free. As one reporter said, "She exploded in tears." Yeah, I was moved, watching this young woman totally melt down in tearful relief. Only God knows the true guilt or innocence of anyone, but it was powerful to watch the power of that one little word. Free. Maybe part of the reason I was touched by that scene was I sort of saw myself there. On trial before God. Not a picture I thought up - it's right out of the Bible. "The whole world" will be "held accountable to God" (Romans 3:19). The charge? "Everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard" (Romans 3:23).
As nice a guy as I'd like to think I am, I know the verdict. Guilty. For more times than I could ever count where I've done it my way instead of God's way. Every proud thing...every hurting thing...every angry thing...every dirty thing...every lying thing...every selfish thing - every time I've ignored God, disobeyed God, pushed God to the edge. But it's not just me. "The entire world is guilty before God" (Romans 3:19). No waiting for Judgment Day to see how we did. We're guilty. And no waiting to hear the penalty either. "The wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). What else could the penalty be? There's no way a sinless God could have a sinner like me in His heaven.
But one day God spoke the sweetest word I could ever hear Him say.
Free.
Not because I wasn't guilty. But because my penalty was paid by Someone else. Someone who didn't deserve it. Who loves me unspeakably. "(Jesus) loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding His blood" (Revelation 1:5). That's what I mean by unspeakable, unexplainable, extravagant love. I'm guilty. I deserve the penalty. But Jesus said, "Take Me instead." And "He declares sinners to be right in His sight when they believe in Jesus" (Romans 3:26).
When a young woman heard she was going free, she was totally overwhelmed. In her emotion, I was reminded of the amazingness, the wonder of what Jesus did for me. And how very much I owe Him. And how very much the people I know deserve to hear how they, too, can be forgiven for every sin. Clean before God. Welcomed into His heaven. And free.