The Disappearance of a Pied Piper

The Verdict

"Amy Grace Best, rise and face Her Honor, the Judge."

Amy Grace rose and stood at attention the best she could, trembling almost uncontrollably.

The judge spoke firmly, but with just a hint of compassion in her voice, "Amy Grace Best you have quite a wrap sheet, that started five years ago. You've done time for the possession of marijuana, multiple times. You've done time for public indecency three times. You've spent a month in jail twice for contempt of court. Frankly, I'm disappointed in you for the way you have dragged your father's name through the mud more times than he or I care to remember. What do you have to say for yourself, that could keep me from putting you away for a very long time?"

"Your Honor," she spoke through a cracking voice, "I am without defense for my actions over the past five years. I deserve to be put away for a very long time. You are completely within your right to do so. A month ago when you put me under house arrest for my latest charge of indecency, I had time to talk with my Dad. He didn't scream at me. He treated me with compassion and showed me what my life was like in God's Eyes. For the first time in my life, my eyes were opened in a way, that I couldn't have done it myself. I saw myself as a sinner, who deserved more than you could ever do if you put me away for the rest of my life. I deserve to be incarcerated in Hell forever. I can't make amends for my crimes. I can say, 'I'm sorry,' but I'm not sure that means much to you, or to anyone else. I don't know how to convince you or anyone else, that I have changed sincerely. If you are willing to do so, you could question my Dad, who knows me better than just about anyone else on Earth, besides my Mom. My word you have no reason to trust, but his word you have no reason to question. Thank you, Your Honor, for giving me this time to speak for myself."

The judge said, "Thank you, Amy Grace Best, for these apparently heartfelt words. Considering your track record, you'll forgive me, if I remain a bit skeptical of your sincerity. However, you've asked me to consider putting your father on the stand as a character witness. That's extraordinary because if anyone has the evidence on you to corroborate my initial inclination to put you away, it is your father. I'm going to take a fifteen-minute recess to think over this development in my chambers. If your father would like to meet me there, I will discuss the matter with him in private, before I consent to put him on the witness stand. The court is in recess." She rapped her gavel.

Mayor Bud Best rose to his feet and walked toward the judge's chambers at the direction of the bailiff. Just before he came even with the bench, Bud looked back at Amy Grace and smiled as if to say, "It's going to be alright, Sweetheart."

Bud knocked on the judge's chamber door, hearing, "Come in" from the other side. Once inside, the judge motioned for him to shut the door and be seated on the couch across from her inner desk. "What's this stunt she's trying to pull, Bud?" the judge asked.

"Victoria, we've known each other for a long time," Bud said. "You came to the hospital when Amy Grace was born. You played with her when she was very small, and you even changed her diaper a few times. You counseled me when she 'went south' five years ago. I've never lied to you about even the slightest thing, during the years of this dark valley. Why would she ask you to interview me, if she knew I was going to put her away with my testimony?"

"That's a very good question, Bud, and one for which I have no answer," the judge said. "Help me to understand the situation better. Why do you trust her now? How were you able to treat her with such compassion when I ordered a month's worth of house arrest, since that pretty much put you under house arrest at the same time?"

"Through the last 23 years, I've become a much better girl daddy, filled with compassion, hope, and the desire to defend my daughter from any and every threat, including herself," Bud said. "Even at her lowest, I couldn't and I still can't stop praying for her, asking the Lord Jesus to do for her what I could never do for her. I believe He did just that at the beginning of her month of house arrest."

"Are you telling me, that Jesus did something to Amy Grace to change her into this nice person, who really is nice?" Judge Victoria Justice asked.

"Yes. I am, Victoria," Bud said. "I was under the impression, that you have been a Christian for many years, too."

"I am without a doubt, Bud," she said. "However, I've got to be honest with you, Amy Grace went so far away from what you and your family stand for, that I chalked it up to the fact, that she would never be saved."

"Touché. Well played. I have been there for so long," Bud said, "but what happened on that first night of house arrest is beyond my ability to completely describe."

"Try," she said, "I need something upon which to place an accurate verdict."

"Alright, Victoria, here's what happened," Bud said. "I walked through the front door dazed, not knowing what to do, and somehow my feet found their way to the couch in the living room, where I flopped down, staring into space. Amy Grace stood in the hallway for a long while, then she came over to the couch and sat down beside me. We sat in silence for a while, and finally, she asked, 'Aren't you going to scream at me?' Then, I said these exact words, 'I don't have time. I'm trying to figure out how I can hand over the Mayor's Office to someone else, and surrender myself to the judge to take your prison time.'"

The judge's mouth dropped open.

"'Why would you do that for me?' Amy Grace asked. I responded, 'Someone did that for me about 2000 years ago,' and then I started telling her about Jesus the way I tried to tell her when she was very young. I told her, that I deserved to be imprisoned in Hell forever, but Jesus endured my punishment for me. He lived and died my verdict as though He was personally responsible for my sins, which in the eyes of God, He was."

"Is that all you said?" the judge asked.

"No, Victoria, that was not all. We went into a discussion of the five points of Calvinism, also known as the TULIP," Bud said. "When we finished that conversation, I realized, that she had been reborn."

She gave a slow nod, and said, "Okay. I'm ready to put you on the witness stand. Take your place behind the defense."

Bud did just that, waiting for his turn to testify.

With a knock on the judge's chamber door, the announcement came, "All rise. This court is now in session with the Judge Victoria Justice presiding. All come to order."

When the judge sat behind the bench, the rest of the people were motioned to be seated, too.

"The court calls Mayor Bud Best to the witness stand."

"Raise your right hand, and put your left hand on the Bible. Do you swear to tell the Truth, the whole Truth, and nothing but the Truth, so help you, God?"

"I do," Bud affirmed.

"You may be seated."

"Bud Best," the judge addressed him, "do you trust the change of demeanor of your daughter, Amy Grace Best, and the words she has spoken today?"

"I do, Your Honor," Bud said.

"I have no further questions," the judge said. "Prosecution?"

"No questions, Your Honor."

"Defense?"

"No questions, Your Honor."

"Amy Grace Best, stand to your feet."

She stood.

"Amy Grace Best, I trust your father implicitly. On his word alone, and seeing what one month of house arrest has done to turn your life around, I am this day sentencing you to six months of additional house arrest with weekly visits with a parole officer, and 2000 hours of community service, under the supervision of your parole officer. You are to present yourself to this court in six months for further evaluation, and a more permanent verdict. This case is closed, until that time. You are hereby remanded into the custody of your father, our mayor, Bud Best. This court is adjourned."

At that same moment in another part of town, King Jesus stood at the main entrance of Central Park. He spoke firmly, plainly, and without raising His Voice. "Satan, you are under arrest. You will come to where I am at this instant." Instantly, HIStory's most consistent nemesis stood before his most permanent Lord.

"I have passed judgment on you. Your verdict is to go to Hell, staying there for all of Eternity. Your domain will, no doubt, become your Kingdom. Your vassals will be the unwashed masses of humanity along with the angels, who fell from grace with you. That is all. Go now."

As quickly as he came, the Enemy was gone, and his entourage with him. This included the humans, who had caused so much trouble on Planet Earth, during these past five years.

The Earth, all of Creation, and one daughter of the Mayor of New York all breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's time," Jesus said. With those words, the Earth, The Elect, and all of Creation passed through The Lord's Fire of Purification. Time rolled up as a scroll dissolving into Eternity. Finally, all became as it should be. The Lord Jesus was the Dread Sovereign Lord, the King of all Existence. Never, again, would anyone talk about doing something tomorrow because Eternity is the Everlasting Day. Creation had been purified to its original making at the Hands and Voice of The Lord Jesus. The enemies of the Lord had all been incarcerated in Hell, never to be released or commuted for "good behavior" because none in that awful place can even spell "good behavior."

The days of evangelism are over because all are either saved or lost for The Eternal Day. Worship is the atmosphere of that day, just as the ocean was the atmosphere of all sea creatures. The poets will forever write their praises in poetic form. The writing will all tell of His Greatness. The preachers will have one message, "Jesus is Lord!"

The lion will lay down with the lamb. The child will lead them. Hope is the breath of all. Joy shines on each face, breathes in every lung, and beats in every heart. Blessing is his mantle. No one in The Elect, nor of the faithful angels will ever be bored because the many facets of the Lord will provide the Joy of endless learning of Who He is with greater and greater parts of The Godhead, that need to be praised, worshipped, loved, and honored.