I once read a little story about a highly respected Superior Court Judge who was attending worship services one Sunday and was seated next to a former criminal that just happened to be one that the Judge had once sentenced to prison for several years. Throughout the service, neither seemed to be aware of the other.

After the service had ended, the minister and the Judge were walking together and the Judge asked, “Did you see who was sitting beside me during the service?” The preacher said, “Yes, but I didn’t know that you noticed him.” After a few more steps and moments had passed, the Judge said, “What a miracle of grace.” The minister agreed that it certainly was a “miracle of grace.”

The Judge looked at the preacher and asked him, “To whom are you referring?” whereupon the minister replied, “Why, to the conversion of the convict sitting beside you.” The Judge said, “I was referring to myself, not to him.” He went on to explain his reasoning this way: he said, “It didn’t cost that convict much to get converted from his former life. He had nothing before but a life of crime and when he learned about Jesus Christ he recognized that there was salvation and hope and joy for him. And he knew how much he needed that help and forgiveness.”

The Judge then told the preacher, “But, look at me. I was taught from infancy to be an honest and good citizen. That my word was my bond. I went on to college and law school and got my degrees and eventually even became a Judge. Nothing but the grace of God could have caused me to admit that I was a sinner on a level with that convict sitting beside me. It took much more grace to forgive me for all my pride and self-deception, to get me to admit that I was no better in the eyes of God than that convict that I sent to prison.”

Ron Covey