A Serious Trial

WHAT WILL THE VERDICT BE?

BY MIKE MAZYCK

There is a very frustrating — and disturbing — type of question I’ve been asked more and more frequently over these past several years, as I have devoted more time to the word of God.

“Mike, why do you have to be so serious all the time?” or

“Mike, why do you have to be so intense all the time?” or

“Mike, if you have grown so much closer to the LORD, where is your Joy? Something must be wrong.”

Why do I find myself so disturbed by questions like these? Well, I guess I will give the answer you might expect because I view these as very serious questions!

Why are they so serious to me? First, because they are more than just questions; they are accusations. The accusation is that I have responded improperly or with imbalance to the message I am reading. Secondly, these “questions” often link the serious and intense response of my life with the joy in my heart. They are an evaluation of the fruit on my tree, and that is a very serious matter. A tree is known by its fruit. The condition of a tree is revealed by the quality and quantity of its fruit.

Furthermore, a tree that does not bear fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire (Matthew 7:19). The fruit on my tree is the evidence of my salvation. A man who does not bear fruit may have deceived himself, and his eternity could be at stake. There could not be a more serious type of question. It is a charge — an accusation — of the highest nature.

I respond to my accusers and tell them they are wrong. I explain that I have more joy than ever, that my intensity and seriousness are justified, and that they are the ones taking matters too lightly. But sometimes I wonder: what if they are right?

And therefore, considering the gravity of the charges at hand, I see no other option available. My joy, intensity, and seriousness — the demeanor of my life and the response of my heart — must be examined. They must be put on trial!

And so, I open the doors to the courtroom of my heart and let the trial begin: Court is now in session.

I first ask myself: what if the very basis of the accusation is wrong? Could my accusers be misinformed? What if I am not a serious person at all? What if those who accuse me just don’t really know me and have evaluated my life incorrectly?

My accusers call those who know me best to the stand. My family!

One by one, my wife and children give their testimony. Their reports are consistent with one another. Each begins by saying he is one of the goofiest people they have ever known — rivaled only by his daughter Madeline. They assure the courtroom that if there were a “dad-joke” competition nearby, he’d have a pretty good shot at winning it.

However, the countenance on their faces changes as they give their final assessment. One by one, they reluctantly agree with my accusers: goofiness and jokes — smiles,lightheartedness, and laughter — do not characterize his life. They may be the tone of his day, but not the essence of his life. They agree with the charges against me: he would be defined as an extremely serious and intense man.

My own heart agrees with them. The more I have read the Bible: the more intense — and serious — and solemn I have become. But that doesn’t mean I am right. I could be misinterpreting these words I am reading. What if the enemy has played a great trick on me? Now that I have established that the charges against me are valid, the questions to be answered must be defined.

How do I know if I have real Christian Joy? What does joy look like in the life of a Christian — on this side of heaven? Is it a feeling inside of me? That seems a bit subjective, as my feelings change like the wind. Does joy always show on a person’s face? Is the expression on one’s face, on any given day, an accurate indicator of the joy in their heart, on that day?

But I’m also examining much more than just one single Fruit of the Spirit on any given day. This isn’t about the demeanor of my face; it’s about the demeanor of my entire life. I am examining the entire response of a Christian’s life to the message of the Gospel. What is the proper response? Should it be intense and serious, or lighthearted and jovial?

Now that the questions to be answered have been established, I must call the First Witness to the stand!

Lord, although I tremble at the thought, may I humbly ask You — the only true Judge — to step into the imperfect courtroom of my heart, and allow me to interrogate You?

With perfect gentleness and kindness, as if reversing roles were His greatest delight and specialty, He politely obliges my request and takes a seat at the witness stand.

My Lord, You are the Great Example to be followed — The Origin and Source of all Joy — the Eternal Tree — What did Your fruit look like? What was the tone and demeanor of Your life? What was the response of your life to the situation at hand? What is Your Word on these matters?

As I listen to the testimony of His Word about Himself, I am shocked by what I hear — and perhaps even more shocked by what I do not hear. There is not a single mention of smiles and laughter in all of His testimony to the courtroom.

That’s right: there is no record of Jesus laughing in any of the four Gospel accounts, nor is there any clear or direct reference to even a smile on His face. Doesn’t that seem a bit odd?

I quietly think to myself, I have watched a few episodes of The Chosen and saw Him laughing, joking, and smiling all the time. But the actual Word of God records none of those things. That often overlooked second commandment — the one about making no “graven images” of God – comes racing to my mind. Hmmm, could this be one of the reasons why He said it? Could a false image in the mind of a Christian throw off the entire trajectory and response of their life? I then realize, I’ve gotten distracted in the courtroom; The Chosen is not on trial today — The Witness is on the stand. I dare not waste any of His time. I immediately get back to those words: the ones said, and the ones not said...