Proverbs of a 42 yr. old man

Had to take time to write about someone very special that passed away 8/21/25. His name was Frank Caprio, known as the nicest judge in the world. I had watched him on television a few years and was shocked by his compassion in the courts of today. When you think of law and justice and what that looks like today; I feel there is so much sin in the world that we can't morally handle it. So, what we don't understand we then become ignorant to common sense and mercy. Judges have a very difficult job to bring justice to the offended party and also apply the appropriate amount of mercy to the defendant. The pleas of I'm guilty and not guilty are no longer relative anymore, it has become a way of life to get away with crime or take advantage of systems in place. What I liked about Frank Caprio, like everyone is did.......was his compassion. Something I think judges lose after dealing with so many cases. I think of the biblical times of Israel when they had no king just God as judge. How was that and did people respect judges and as much as they respect kings? Political power has been set up by God and they are there to serve us and protect righteousness. Let me give you some Scripture for context here Romans 13:1-7: Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but too bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. Amen. Do we still have Christians like this today? With this kind of honor and respect for authority? Today in age we make it about criticizing kings and politicians when the Christian is supposed to honor authority and live out mercy. I see more division more than ever in people and it is reflecting in our government right now. When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan. When the righteous thrive, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy. By the blessing of the upright a city is built up, but by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down. Amen. I shared some Scriptures to remind us of what government should look like; this is righteousness in the land. But when the wicked come to power, people hide themselves; but when they perish, the righteous flourish. There is an evil I have seen under the sun, the sort of error that arises from a ruler: when they give great authority to foolish people and low positions to people of proven worth. Amen. Eccles. 10:7 I have even seen servants riding horseback like princes, and princes walking like servants! Wow. Justice can get so confusing, and distraction can be so blinding that the high elites are brought down low and the poor have more morality than the rich. But then even the poor became prideful demanding government when God is the one who provides wealth and satisfaction. The Scripture says do not show partiality to the poor. Meaning don't pervert justice by favoring the poor. There is no special treatment that should be given for either rich or poor. Justice must be real and pure in motive. Just as God allows rain to fall on both the righteous and the wicked. Justice must be blind and give the worthy recompense. Do we not see this happening today? While the rich tries to exploit the poor, the poor use their poverty to try to influence the fairness of legal proceedings. Fairness and equity in judgment is everything to a thriving society. Justice is not just a legal obligation but a moral one that affects communal harmony. This principle is reiterated in the New Testament, where Jesus teaches the importance of loving one's neighbor as oneself. The call to judge fairly is a reflection of God's own fair and righteous judgment. In Psalm 9:8, it says that God judges the world with righteousness and the peoples with equity. Amen. There is a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead. Justice is hard to understand and mercy even more. Have peace today that Jesus the Savior of the World is Judge and Lawyer. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing. In fact, the Father will show him how to do even greater works than healing this man. Then you will truly be astonished. For just as the Father gives life to those he raises from the dead, so the Son gives life to anyone he wants. In addition, the Father judges no one. Instead, he has given the Son absolute authority to judge, so that everyone will honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son is certainly not honoring the Father who sent him. John 5:19-23. I started writing this piece today about Frank Caprio, the world nicest judge. My favorite memory was one of his cases dealing with an elderly father 88, taking his son who was 67 for cancer treatment. Apparently, this father would drive his son who was too weak to drive and would park in the wrong spots accumulating parking tickets. Frank Caprio was able to hear the heart of this father for his son and clear out the record against him. Is this not a righteous judge? Think about Jesus now. The Righteous and Holy Father sends the Son not to condemn the world but to save it. Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are, yet he did not sin. So, let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. Amen, in the day and age we live in where people's hearts have grown cold. Where people have become lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. Even in all this wickedness God in Christ can forgive all these sins because of the power of the Cross. Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. The same way Frank Caprio was compassionate and had justice mixed with mercy, (he actually was a Catholic and had a heart for God.) It's what Jesus does for us now and for eternity. He gives us justice today by forgiving us our sins. Giving us the power of Holy Spirit to live abundant life. And give us the promise of eternal life after death. The government rests on his shoulders. He is called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, so our land will be filled with his glory. Mercy and truth have met. Righteousness and peace have kissed. Yes, the LORD pours down his blessings. Our land will yield its bountiful harvest. Amen. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Amen. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? Amen. Let me close with these thoughts. It's one thing to forgive others of the wrongs done to you. To have Jesus there with open arms to heal your heart of that hurt. But the most relief I think are the accidents and things you did. The things you could not recompense fully in this life. Jesus shows his hands and says your forgiven and loved. I can't understand a justice like that, where mercy and truth kiss. We got a taste of it in Frank Caprio, the nicest judge reflecting the love of Christ. Complete justice is still to come, and we look forward to that day. Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.” Amen. There will be a day where God will separate the wheat from the tares and the sheep from the goats. Real swift and final justice that will usher in a new heavens and new earth. This is too lofty for me to even try to come to terms with. But I say, get out of the way of justice. Honor the authority given to our LORD and Savior to be Judge overall. So much evil done has to be addressed and dealt with. What the blood of Jesus did not cover like the angel of death in Egypt. God will bring justice to our world soon. Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself. He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses. From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress. On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords. Serve the LORD with reverent fear and rejoice with trembling. Submit to God’s royal son, or he will become angry, and you will be destroyed in the midst of all your activities, for his anger flares up in an instant. But what joy for all who take refuge in him!