Last night Mike and I watched the true story movie: JUST MERCY. Synopsis written by Gregg Brilliant:
A powerful and thought-provoking true-story, “Just Mercy” follows young lawyer Bryan Stevenson (Jordan) and his history-making battle for justice. After graduating from Harvard, Bryan might have had his pick of lucrative jobs. Instead, he heads to Alabama to defend those wrongly condemned, with the support of local advocate Eva Ansley (Larson.) One of his first, and most incendiary, cases is that of Walter McMillian (Foxx,) who, in 1987, was sentenced to die for the notorious murder of an 18-year-old girl, despite a preponderance of evidence proving his innocence and the fact that the only testimony against him came from a criminal with a motive to lie. In the years that follow, Bryan becomes embroiled in a labyrinth of legal and political maneuverings and overt and unabashed racism as he fights for Walter, and others like him, with the odds-and the system-stacked against them.
After watching this heart-moving thought-provoking true story I went out on my patio and thanked God for Bryan Stevenson (a God-fearing man of great integrity and love for his brothers), who freed Walter McMillian from death row, as well as many others after, as the end of the movie documents for you.
I believe in “Capitol Punishment” a.k.a “The Death Penalty.”
“Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty, is a government-sanctioned practice whereby a person is put to death by the state as a punishment for a crime. The sentence ordering that someone be punished in such a manner is referred to as a death sentence, whereas the act of carrying out such a sentence is known as an execution. A prisoner who has been sentenced to death and is awaiting execution is referred to as condemned, and is said to be on death row. Crimes that are punishable by death are known as capital crimes, capital offences or capital felonies, and vary depending on the jurisdiction, but commonly include serious offences such as murder, mass murder, aggravated cases of rape, child rape, child sexual abuse, terrorism, treason, espionage, sedition, piracy, aircraft hijacking, drug trafficking and drug dealing, war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, and in some cases, the most serious acts of recidivism, aggravated robbery, and kidnapping.”
While most prison inmates deserve to be there, and even sent to their death for what they’ve done – deserving of the death penalty, there are always a few innocent ones in prison that have not received a FAIR TRIAL, for whatever reasons: lack of funds, racism, greed, defense incompetence, rigged jury, conspiracy to cover up truth, etc.
Yet, I know without a doubt that when you invite the LORD GOD into your life – you will get a fair trial whether on this side of death or the other. I’m reminded of Jesus on the Cross, an innocent man, although He died in our place (guilty sinners) was ETERNALLY FREED on the other side of physical death to live the LIFE that is TRULY LIFE, and in His case, to REIGN SUPREME as the One True God over ALL Creation.
Sadly, innocent people who are arrested, jailed and imprisoned continue to reject their only hope and Savior Jesus Christ; they have no ‘higher court’ ruling in their favor in this life nor in the LIFE to come.
“The wicked are too proud to seek God.
They seem to think that God is dead.
Yet they seem to succeed in everything they do.
They do not see God’s punishment awaiting them.
The wicked think, “God isn’t watching us!
He has closed his eyes and won’t even see what we do!”
“The LORD is KING (DEFENDER AND JUDGE) forever and ever! The godless nations will vanish from the earth.
LORD, you know the hopes of the helpless.
Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them.
You will bring justice to the orphans and to the oppressed and the wrongly accused – so mere people can no longer terrify them.” Psalm 10
Thank You Father for the TRUTH, the WAY and the LIFE in Christ Jesus! Oh what a SAVIOR! Oh what a DEFENDER! Oh what a RIGHTEOUS AND JUST RULER He is, and will be at His second coming!