In His Chambers

Introduction

“Through the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope.” (Romans 15:4)

I love the law and love to encourage those who practice it. That is why I wrote this book. In the last thirty years of pastoral ministry, I have had the privilege of being next to a lot of great folks, but none quite as intriguing to me as those practicing law. Attorneys sit in chairs of enormous potential influence. The impetus behind this book is to leverage that influence for Christ’s sake at home, at church, and in the marketplace.

I value the law for several reasons. First, pragmatically, it promotes justice, order, and civil society. It is a means to a great end. Second, the law is a discipline in pursuit of the truth, and the truth promotes freedom (John 8:32). I love the resolve of those sticking to what the law says. A quote attributed to Sir Thomas More, in Robert Bolt’s play A Man for All Seasons, typifies such resolve as I appreciate. He speaks to his future son-in-law, William Roper, about standing up to Henry VIII: “Whoever hunts for me, Roper, God or Devil, will find me hiding in the thickets of the law!”

Finally, the law perfectly kept (what is right: righteousness) typifies the Bible’s vision of the consummation of the ages at the return of Jesus Christ (Psalm 85:10, Isaiah 32:17). I join Chief Justice William Howard Taft in both affections and anticipations: “I love judges, and I love courts. They are my ideals that typify on earth what we shall meet thereafter in heaven under a just God.”

I also love the Bible and its instructions for living, indeed, “a lamp to our feet and a light to our path” (Psalm 119:105). These three loves, the law, the lawyer, and the Bible, come together in this volume. I write to encourage the lawyer with an invitation to experience God through his Word.

There are ninety-one readings in this volume. That is enough to establish a new habit of reflecting upon God’s Word over a quarter-of-a-year. Each reading begins with a title designed to capture the theme of one passage of scripture and challenge for life. The body of each reading then reflects upon the text of the Bible passage. Each reading finally closes with a section entitled, “Action Plan.” This brief section prompts the reader to respond to the experience of sharing God’s company and listening to his Word by applying it to life.

The book title stems from an image of meeting with God in his “office.” We come to God on his terms, not our own. But here we find one most gracious and interested in our highest good and our flourishing. Enjoy the journey through these ninety-one readings. Read, think, talk, and share God’s company. In Christ, he reached for us all, and invited us to a life and a hope we could not share apart from him.

Day 11

Be a Counselor

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)

“Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.” (Proverbs 15:22)

One of my favorite lawyers serves in Gilbert, West Virginia. There are 450 people who live there, in the middle of the trillion dollar coal fields. A part of what makes him my favorite is that he graduated from Harvard Law School. This environmental lawyer could make a lot of money elsewhere, but he has dedicated his career to work with business owners to help gain approval for permits with the EPA for work in the coal industry. The net result of his work is for Mingo County to have more employment opportunities.

He met with our son while Ben was in law school. Over lunch he charged Ben to be a counselor, to view a part of his role as offering counsel. In some sectors this vision is being lost. In England’s legal system, the term counsel is reserved for the barrister who is brought into the case. In court, he or she is then addressed as “Counsel” (in third person), counsel on the matter before the court. It is one of three terms in their legal vocabulary for lawyers. Barrister and solicitor are the others.

Seven hundred years before Jesus Christ was born, the prophet Isaiah anticipated his coming. In seeking to construct an understanding of how incredible the Son of God is, he packs the verse with several beautiful titles. “Wonderful Counselor” is one of them. The term wonderful stresses the marvel of his counsel, its veracity and proven worth. Such is the counsel from Jesus Christ who is the truth (John 14:6). The counsel Jesus brings is the path to another way of life. He does not appeal to indulgence, pride, greed, or lust, but calls us to self-sacrifice, service, and an others-oriented life. He is the Wonderful Counselor.

None of us can look back without remembering words of counsel that we have received; maybe it was from a teacher, coach, college professor, or a law school classmate, professor, or mentoring lawyer. Their counsel was fitting and appropriate.

The best lawyers are counselors. They know the law and understand procedure. But they know life and understand its raw intersection with the law. They stand at that intersection with counsel. Jesus Christ sets a pacesetting mark with his namesake.

Action Plan: Do you view yourself as a counselor? How would that view change the way you practice law? What if today is the beginning of a new way to view yourself in law? This is a game-changing perception.