Several years ago in California, a young woman was stopped for speeding. She was given a ticket and sentenced to appear before the judge. The Judge read off her citation and asked, “What is your plea? Guilty or not guilty?” “Guilty your honor,” she replied. The Judge brought down the gavel and said, pay $100 or ten days.”
Then an amazing thing happened. The Judge stood up, took off his robe, went over to the clerk, and paid the fine in full. What’s the explanation for this? The Judge was her father. He loved his daughter, to be sure, but at that moment he was her judge. His daughter had broken the law He couldn’t simply say, “Because I love you, I forgive you. You may now leave.” If he had done that there would have been a miscarriage of justice in his court. He would not have remained a righteous Judge. By paying the fine himself, the law was satisfied, justice was done, and his daughter was set free.