Criminal Defense
Since 1993
Since 1993
The Two Big Questions
By: John Guidry
Two thousand years ago, there was a great Rabbi named Akiva. Akiva was heading home late one night, when the darkness and fog caused him to make a wrong turn. Rabbi Akiva ends up at this massive Roman outpost. As Akiva approaches, he hears a wrestling on top of the wall, and a soldier yells down “who are you, and what are you doing here?
Akiva responds, “Excuse Me?”
The guard yells, again, “Who are you? What are you doing here?”
Akiva pauses, and then asks: “How much are they paying you?”
The guard says “What?”
Akiva repeats, “How much are they paying you?”
The guard states, “20 denarius a week.”
Akiva says: “I’ll pay you twice that to come to my house every morning and ask me those two questions.”
[This tidbit is from Rob Bell. I love his story telling, this story in particular. So, I hope Rob doesn’t mind me quoting his podcast, which can be found here, Robcast episode #128]
Rabbi Akiva’s story reminds me of a recent funeral I attended at a very large Baptist church in Orlando. The preaching was excellent (those Baptist preachers know how to give a sermon, don’t they?). The funeral was for someone who died before their time, if that makes any sense. Young. Healthy (odd description of someone who’s passed on, but bear with me). Anyway, the unspoken question was “Why did God take this man early?”
I remember the preacher explaining the following: the important question for God is not “Why did You take this person?” The question we should ask ourselves is: “Why are we still here?”
About John Guidry II
John Guidry II is a seasoned criminal defense attorney and founder of the Law Firm of John P. Guidry II, P.A., located in downtown Orlando next to the Orange County Courthouse, where he has practiced for over 30 years. With more than three decades of experience defending clients throughout Central Florida since 1993, Guidry has successfully defended thousands of cases in Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Brevard, Lake, and Volusia counties. He has built a reputation for his strategic approach to criminal defense, focusing on pretrial motions and case dismissals rather than jury trials.
Guidry earned both his Juris Doctorate and Master of Business Administration from St. Louis University in 1993. He is a member of the Florida Bar and the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. His practice encompasses the full spectrum of Florida state criminal charges, with a particular emphasis on achieving favorable outcomes through thorough pretrial preparation and motion practice.
Beyond the courtroom, Guidry is a prolific legal educator who has authored over 400 articles on criminal defense topics. He shares his legal expertise through his popular YouTube channel, Instagram, and TikTok accounts, where he has built a substantial following of people eager to learn about the law. His educational content breaks down complex legal concepts into accessible information for the general public.
When not practicing law, Guidry enjoys tennis and pickleball, and loves to travel. Drawing from his background as a former recording studio owner and music video producer in the Orlando area, he brings a creative perspective to his legal practice and continues to apply his passion for video production to his educational content.