The scales of justice reflect that Lady Justice is blind and demonstrate how easily the scales can swing one way or the other. While we want Lady Justice to be blind to improper influences, being blind to establishing proper priorities in life can have devastating results.
Being a judge is a role of immense responsibility, demanding an unwavering commitment to justice and the rule of law. It can also be inflexible and time-consuming! But, as I can attest, behind the robe lies a person with a life beyond the courtroom – a family, relationships, church obligations, and personal aspirations. Balancing the demanding responsibilities of a judge with the needs of a fulfilling personal life can be challenging, but it is not insurmountable. This is a challenge faced by many vocations, such as pastors, doctors, and more. With a lot of practice and help from the Lord, I learned to juggle the requirements of my job while keeping my faith and my family as a primary focus.
It all starts with prioritization and balancing. You must understand that both your family and vocational roles are of paramount importance. Clearly define your priorities and establish boundaries to ensure that your job does not overtake other important roles, such as Christ-follower, father, husband, and church member. I was assigned cases from time to time that required attention beyond regular hours, so setting dedicated family time was especially crucial. One way to implement this is to allocate specific time blocks for work and family.
In the midst of a demanding career, it’s essential to focus on both the quality and quantity of the time you spend with your family. Make the moments count by being present, engaged, and attentive. Put away distractions when you’re spending time with your loved ones, allowing for meaningful interactions that strengthen your family bonds. Certainly, there will be demanding times as a judge that temporarily sidetrack church and/or family obligations, but those should be the exception. Communication with family and a track record of your family knowing they are a priority can help minimize any negative impact.
It’s challenging to balance the good and important work you do in your vocation with your other family demands. That is something that I wanted to explore in “The Kids’ Pit.” Pastor Preston Curtis is brave and devoted to his pastoral calling to preach God’s Word, but he struggles at times to balance his call to ministry with his teenage daughter’s need for a present father. The struggle is particularly difficult when his daughter doesn’t have the emotional ability and maturity to handle all the negative outside noise concerning her father that impacts her life and particularly her relationship with friends.
Are you willing to say “no, I can’t go tonight – it’s family night”? Or can you recognize that I shouldn’t say those words because they can be viewed as hateful? For me, the tipping of the scales for prioritization of the demands has to be based upon the cornerstone of faith in Jesus that can then put all other competing demands into their proper place.
It is easy to become myopic and only focus on our own problems. But recognition of the impact of your decisions and life choices on your family is vital to maintaining the proper balance and priorities.
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