Guilty, Not Guilty? No Lo Contendere!

A conversation this morning led to an exciting discovery about myself. The subject arose because I'm an authority about guilt. I've long contended the church held people in check by the manipulation of guilt, and I certainly grew up with a healthy share of both grief and church. In answer to my friend's questions, though, I realized the guilt, like many aspects of my life, is behind me. I'm no longer living burdened with guilt for wrongs I've done and those I imagine I've done.

A defendant stands in court and is asked, "How do you plead? Are you guilty or not guilty?" Sometimes the defendant answers "Guilty," and other times "Not Guilty." Yet a third option exists, and the defendant may say instead of one or the other, "No contest." If haughty enough, they may say the Latin phrase, "No lo contendere." That means, "I'm not arguing about it, not claiming I didn't do it. I understand you may go ahead and find me guilty, but I'm not saying so. I'll live with the consequences and move on with my life." Many people use this to avoid civil liability, but others are really saying, "It's not worth it to argue about, go ahead but I'm comfortable with my role here."

I've realized my plead has been changed. I'm no longer guilty. I fixed that with the fifth step, the ninth, and the tenth. I plead "No contest" and I acknowledge to God, to myself, and if big enough to bug me to my sponsor, but I'm not planning to carry the guilt, just learn from the past to live today as well as I can, walking with God and asking, hoping, trusting he will control my thinking and therefore truly make me not guilty when it comes time to look back over the day and assess the walk. What a relief! Thank God.