When I was in high school, I worked evenings and weekends at a retail store.

I helped customers, herded shopping carts, mopped floors, and every once in a while, I assisted the “Loss Prevention” manager with shoplifters. I felt like a hero when we would catch someone stealing.

One time a man boldly stole a video game system, he simply walked out the door with it under his arm. A call came across the intercom and I took off toward the front door where I noticed the other employees gathered.

I was ahead of the Loss Prevention manager and a couple other employees who were in pursuit of the shoplifter.

At that time in my life I ran track, played tennis, played basketball and was generally in good shape.

I was a couple hundred yards ahead of my fellow employees when I caught up to the man.

But then something happened that changed everything.

The man stopped, dropped the gaming system, turned toward me and ripped his shirt off. In my mind he looked like Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Without a conscience thought, my body immediately slowed down. Quickly I realized that gaming system wasn’t worth as much as I thought.

It was an awkward few seconds as scrawny little me and the Terminator faced off.

Fortunately for me, the other employees showed up, followed quickly by the police.

I learned something in that moment, Justice is best left to those with real authority.

It’s not our place to chase down every sin and punish every sinner. We have enough trouble recognizing and removing our own sin.

Our calling is to love, encourage, and point to the one with real authority. We don’t enable or coddle, but at the same time we don’t condemn or accuse.

Let God make the judgements, let God make the corrections, let God make people into new creations.

Billy Graham said it this way. “It’s the Holy Spirit’s job to convict, God’s job to judge, and my job to love.”

-Tom Wise