They are to judge the people fairly. Never pervert justice. Instead, be impartial. Never take a bribe, because bribes blind wise people and deny justice to those who are in the right. Strive for nothing but justice… (Deuteronomy 16:18-20 GW)
Yesterday morning I sat in the county courthouse for 2 1/2 hours with about 75 other potential jurors. We were chosen for jury duty this week.
I almost wrote “the dreaded jury duty.” But I got to thinking about how important it would be to ME to receive a fair trial if I were ever accused of a crime.
While our judicial system is far from perfect, I’m not aware of a better one in the world, and it is certainly better than Iran’s. Last week, Iran’s regime hanged a 19-year-old world-class wrestler, along with two others, who were accused of “crimes against God” and the murder of police officers during the January 2026 uprisings. These three were convicted and executed without access to lawyers of their choosing, based on confessions reportedly obtained through torture, and despite witness and video evidence suggesting they were not involved in the rioting. Saleh Mohammadi, Mehdi Ghasemi, and Saeed Davoudi were expendable and made an example by a government that used their deaths to intimidate the population.
Needless to say that’s not the “system of justice” I want.
Getting up and out the door early, packing a lunch, taking reading and writing materials, going through the metal detectors, and sitting in a large room with 75 strangers (none of whom seemed very excited to be there) for almost three hours is more than an inconvenience. But it is a price we pay as citizens who want a strong and fair justice system.
My biggest surprise as a juror yesterday was how helpful the employee overseeing the juror pool was. When you receive a strongly worded letter summoning you to jury duty—complete with warnings about penalties for not showing up—it’s a pleasant surprise to find that the person behind it is polite, helpful, and genuinely friendly. She greeted us with a smile, offered coffee and bottled water, and as our wait was extended—then extended again—she kept us informed with what she knew about what was happening in the courtroom.
Evidently, a murder trial was scheduled to begin, but the defendant decided that morning to accept a plea deal. We had been called to ensure a large jury pool, and she couldn’t release us until the plea agreement was finalized. She even apologized for the delay. Now, how often does a court system employee do that? It was, once again, a pleasant surprise.
I wish that Saleh Mohammadi, Mehdi Ghasemi, and Saeed Davoudi had been given a fair trial. I wish there weren’t governments that execute talented young people who may be innocent of the crimes they’re accused of. I also wish there were no false convictions or wrongful acquittals in our own system.
But even with its flaws, what we have here is far better than other systems. So I will serve jury duty when called—not necessarily out of enjoyment, but out of gratitude.
God of Justice,
Thank you for your Word, which reveals your kindness, compassion, justice, and righteousness. Thank you for the wisdom and experience that have shaped the systems of justice we have at the county, state, and federal levels in this nation. We pray that all who serve within our court systems would be people of integrity, honor, and justice.
Today, we pray for those around the world who are unjustly imprisoned or subjected to unfair trials and sentences. We ask for the breaking of systems that perpetuate injustice. We also pray for peace and comfort for the families and friends of those who have been unjustly executed, including these three young men in Iran.
God, help us to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you. We ask this in Jesus’s name, AMEN.
One witness is never enough to convict someone of a crime, offense, or sin he may have committed. Cases must be settled based on the testimony of two or three witnesses. (Deuteronomy 19:15 GW)
The Lord is waiting to be kind to you.
He rises to have compassion on you.
The Lord is a God of justice.
Blessed are all those who wait for him. (Isaiah 30:18 GW)
Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. (Jeremiah 23:6 NKJV)
You mortals, the Lord has told you what is good.
This is what the Lord requires from you:
to do what is right,
to love mercy,
and to live humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8 GW)