Many Are called -Few are chosen

April 16, 2013

About 1 month ago I received a notice from superior court summoning me to appear yesterday for Juror duty. The security at the courthouse was unusually tight, which I expected given the shooting incident that took place there about 2-3 months ago.  After I checked in I was asked to sit in what could be termed an “assembly room” with about 120 other potential jurors. After the orientation, we were asked to wait until they received directive from “upstairs” to say how many cases and how many people they would need. After about 30 minutes the list of names arrived and it so happened that I was in that group. There were about 50 names.  We were told to report to the 8^th floor and wait for further directives.  The clerk of courts read the case that was on trial, the names of the lawyers, defendant and plaintiff.  The Clerk then read a list of questions and we were asked to make a mental note of any yes answers.  At the end people were asked to raise their hands if they answered yes to any of the questions.  All the persons who raised their hands were excused from the room- which was about 25 people.  After these people left, the clerk read the names of 14 people and asked them to sit in the jury box.  I was not one of them.  As I thought about it we started out with many- who were called to report for juror duty, but only a few- 14-were eventually chosen. 

  Although a different circumstance this scripture came to my mind that can be found in Mathew 22:14- For many are called, but few [are] chosen.  This passage is found in the parable Jesus told about a certain king who made a marriage for his son and the invited guests did not attend the wedding and eventually as the story goes on we see the king sending his servants to go out to the highways and edges and compel men to come.  After they came in the King examined them all and found that one person was without his wedding attire.  He was bound and cast out.  This is where this verse came in “Many are called but few are chosen” When God calls us to him He wants to clothe us in his cloak of righteousness; however some of us prefer to wear our cloak of righteousness, we want to come by our efforts and by our own works.  This will not work as our righteousness is like filthy rags.  As we see the man who rejected the King’s covering met a horrible fate- cast out in total darkness, so will those who reject God’ covering of righteousness.

In His service,

Vilma