Article May 23, 2005 Issue

CIVIC DUTIES CALL FOR SPIRITUAL PLEAS

By Sara Hoagland Hunter

I wasn't in the best of spirits as I headed off to serve on jury duty. The timing of the summons and the lengthy drive to an unfamiliar courthouse seemed inconvenient. Rather than feeling noble for performing a civic duty, I was thinking, "How can I quickly get out of this?"

Disgruntled after maneuvering in an impossibly small parking lot and stepping into a giant mud puddle, I realized I needed to stop being such a grouch. As I crossed the parking lot to the courthouse, I prayed for God to direct my thoughts and my day. At that moment, I caught a glimpse of a court employee leaving his car to enter by a separate door. It suddenly hit me that this day was not about me being inconvenienced. Within that courthouse, right at that moment, were people for whom this day was far weightier than my inconvenience. No doubt there were situations that demanded thoughtful prayer.

As I took a seat in the cramped, antiquated waiting room, I determined not to just wait, but to pray. I pulled a copy of the weekly Christian Science Bible Lesson from my purse and began to read. Two verses from Psalms leapt out: "For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven," and "O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day" (Ps. 119:89, 97).