Over this past week there have been two criminal cases that have got peoples blood boiling. No not Obama’s health care plan, but two very different situations that have got people debating whether justice and forgiveness should be shown.

Last night Michael Vick signed a two year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles. Two years ago not many people had a kind word to say about the one time highest paid football player following a conviction of hosting and being involved in dog fighting and animal cruelty. Vick served his time in prison and is now back in the business that made him millions.

This past week reports have come out that Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrah has terminal cancer and is poised to be released from his life sentence in prison. Al Megrah was the man found guilty of the Lockerbie bombing in December 1988 when 270 people died when Pan-Am flight 103 exploded in mid-air flying over the small Scottish town.

One man has served his sentence, one man on the verge of death. In most cases the general public would forgive and forget. However, not so with these two. Vick has the public split on whether to forgive him and not many outside the nation of Libya feel much compassion for Al Megrah.

This leads me to ask the question, should we forgive these men for their wrongs or are we justified in condemning them to a life of judgment?

Most of us were quick to cast judgment on both these men (and quite rightly so) as they had broken civil laws. We agreed with their punishments as directed by the law of the land. However, most of us can cast judgment because we have not broken any serious civil laws. However, even though we haven’t broken civil laws, we have broken many spiritual laws, or laws of heaven. God has set a standard that everyone of us has broken. The difference between the laws of the land and the laws of heaven is in the punishment. Our laws give different punishments depending on the crime. In the law of heaven there is only one kind of punishment for all laws that are broken, that is death!

The crazy thing is though I don’t see myself as a criminal (because I haven’t committed any earthly crimes), I am a criminal in heavens eyes! I have broken the laws of heaven and not on one occasion. In fact in heavens eyes I am a repeat offender. I deserve death! However, Christ took the punishment for me. He forgave me, he had compassion on me and he released me from my sentence. Therefore, if Alex Penduck, a repeat offender can be given another chance by the God of this universe, then maybe, just maybe I should start to think about giving others a second chance!

Just me thinking out loud! Let me know your thoughts? Should Vick and Al Megrah be given a second chance?