Is there a judge on board?

Don’t you realize that someday we believers will judge the world? And since you are going to judge the world, can’t you decide even these little things among yourselves?  Don’t you realize that we will judge angels? So you should surely be able to resolve ordinary disputes in this life  1 Corinthians 6:2-3

Judge the world? Judge angels? (Gulp) Me?  Yet there it is, right there in Scriptures.  Let me tell you something. Most days I don't feel even qualified to judge my cat, let alone the world or angels!

What does a judge do exactly?

• Presides over trials
• Assesses the credibility and arguments of the parties
• Hears all the witnesses and any other evidence presented by the parties of the case
• Issues a ruling on the matter at hand 
• Settles disputes
• Interprets laws
• Sets bail
• Ensures the trial follows legal proceedings

Wow, that's quite a list. And quite a responsibility! A good judge surely must possess the following qualities: Wisdom, Honor, Integrity, Honesty, Discipline, Patience, Faithfulness, Goodness, Kindness, Knowledge, Self Control.  Can you think of others?

My step-daughter is currently in law school studying to be a lawyer. She tells me that she basically studies 12 hours a day and has no life. Law school is hard and it places great demands on its students, but you wouldn't want to hire a lawyer who goofed his way through school! Not when your life was at stake!

Good judges aren't just born judges. They have to be raised properly. They have to be trained, not only in the law but trained in morality, in honor and honesty. They must have strong moral characters that won't falter under pressure and strain. Characters that won't take bribes, that won't become prideful, that will be fair and just to everyone.

If we are going to be judges someday,  perhaps we should start our training now? God isn't going to just zap us and make us ready to judge when we get to heaven. It does matter what we do here on earth. How we run our lives and how we build our characters. Jesus tells the servant who worked hard while he was on earth "Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord."

I don't know about you, but I want to make my Father proud. I want to do my best here to prepare for my eternal purpose. So, how do we do that in these frail, sinful bodies?

Of course the obvious things are to: Pray, fast, read your Bible, fellowship with other Christians, give to charity, volunteer to help others, etc.  As well as stay away from things that Paul lists later on in that same chapter of 1 Corinthians 6
 Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God

Okay, so I do all of those good things, and I don't do any of those bad. Now what?  Paul continues to say All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

In other words, your choices in life matter. What you choose to eat, drink, who you choose to hang out with, what you choose to watch on TV, where you choose to go, what you choose to do for a career, who you choose to marry, what you listen to on the radio, and how you spend your time.  There may be nothing wrong with your choices, but we need to start filtering our decisions through a different strainer. We need to start asking ourselves:

Does this make me more disciplined, wiser, more honest, more honorable, more loving, stronger in my character? (Disclaimer: I'm not talking about rest. We all need to rest each day!)
How different our lives would be if we made all our choices based on that question!

To all who are victorious, who obey me to the very end, To them I will give authority over all the nations. They will rule the nations with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots. Rev 2:26-27