When the Judge Sits in Your Chair -- How Holy Awe Changes Everything

I remember the first time I saw Judge Frierson’s* name on my appointment schedule. 

“JUDGE Frierson?” I asked. “What kind of judge is he?” 

“He’s a federal appellate court justice based in Richmond,” my boss replied. “A Reagan appointee. He’s one step below the Supreme Court.” 

That’s when my hands started trembling, and my heart beat like a woodpecker on an apple tree. The thought of seating a federal appellate court justice in my treatment room and interacting with him for 45 minutes was intimidating, to say the least. After decades of practicing dental hygiene, I was fairly confidant of my ability to meet his dental needs, but the prospect of making small talk with someone who renders judgments on matters of constitutional law and helps chart the judicial course of our country was way out of my league. 

In the 20 years since that day, however, I’ve found Judge Frierson to be kind, funny, and easy to talk to. During one of his appointments, I discovered he likes ice cream as much as I do. As I’ve gotten to know him (and reminded him to floss daily), I’ve realized that he’s just an ordinary person. While the thought of what he does for a living still intimidates me, I’m no longer awed by him. 

I thought of my experience with the judge recently when I read about God’s name, Yahweh. 

To read the rest of this post, visit Lori’s new site, Refresh. Click here.

If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe? I'll send you twice-weekly 5-minute devotions to help nourish your soul. 
Because women need to connect with God in the craziness of life. 

Enter your email address and VALIDATE the Feedburner email sent to your inbox.



Delivered by FeedBurner