by Angela Moreno

I’m a huge fan of television court shows. Hot Bench, Judge Judy, the People’s Court, name the show I probably watch it. On my days off or days that I go to work later, I have a usual line up of shows that I watch. Today I was watching Hot Bench and a particular case struck a nerve with me and one of the judges.

This case was between a man who sold a woman a car. The woman was in great need of a car. The only problem was she didn’t have the money to purchase a car. The total price of the car was $1,200 and she only had $400. Out of the kindness of his heart, the plaintiff went ahead and sold the car to the defendant and allowed her to pay out the final $800 in payments. He would give her the title to the car once the car was paid off.

The defendant moved to another state and before the first payment was even due, the woman loaned the car to an uncle who didn’t have a driver’s license and the car was impounded. Because she didn’t have the title, she just let the car stay in impound and wasn’t worried about it. The plaintiff gets a notice in the mail saying the car is impound in another state and tries to contact the defendant. Surprise, surprise her phone service is cut-off.

The defendant’s answer to this claim is what struck a nerve with me and the judge. Her answer was that since he didn’t give her the title, she wasn’t responsible for the car any more and it wasn’t her problem. She also didn’t have to pay him the remaining $800 for the car because she no longer had the car. This set off the Judge Tanya Acker. She was tired of hearing case-after-case of people who were kind and helping others out getting taken advantage of. She also reprimanded the defendant and told her she should be ashamed of herself. Unfortunately this scolding had zero effect on the defendant.

I’m amazed at how far our society has fallen. This case isn’t that abnormal. Just as Judge Acker said, people’s kindness is taken advantage of more often than not. And in about 99% of the cases I’ve watched, the defendants have the same attitude that it’s not their problem and they are not responsible even when they clearly are. Taking advantage of the kindness of others seems to be a societal norm. Don’t say it’s just the people on these shows who are this way. I’ve seen it in person happen to others and experienced my kindness being taken advantage of many times.

Jesus said that our world would be like this just before He came back to get His church. And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved (Matthew 24:10-12). As you look around, what parts of those verses do we see every day? I see rampant sin and love gone cold.

We as Christians are called to endure to the end. That means that no matter how bad the world is we are to show kindness and love to others. How else will the world see the love of Christ if we as disciples cannot show it to others?

Remember we must be the light in an unkind world. We must show the love of Jesus to those who don’t know what it looks like. We must unite as believers of Christ and show an unkind world what kindness and love looks like in a world that doesn’t always value these qualities. One question still remains, are we truly disciples of Christ? Would Jesus like the choices you are making and how you are treating others? And remember, a disciple is someone who has Jesus’ influence as the ultimate word in their lives.

I leave you with these words from the apostle Paul: Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone (Romans 12:17-18).