A sense of justice
I n my years of teaching an adult Sunday School class, pastor, and at a local college, I discovered a best practice for teaching. Break down difficult subjects into easily understandable parts and how the parts relate to each other and, just as importantly, how those parts relate to the student’s lives and pursuits.
Taking what is hard to teach, difficult to grasp and making it reachable, understandable, relatable is the role of a teacher. Exceptional teachers are very good at taking difficult concepts and ideas and making them easy to understand and relatable.
If there is one subject that is near impossible to grasp, understand and put into practice in our culture it is the subject of justice.
Our U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights and Pledge of Allegiance all promise, promote, and protect justice.
The Pledge of Allegiance; “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
“Justice for all” is a great concept, worth pursuing, and it is a Biblical principle and one Jesus taught and preached. Unfortunately, “Justice” is near impossible to attain in our world.
Humankind in our infinite wisdom have added and continues to add tens of thousands of ordinances, statues, and laws to explain and enforce the original 10 Commandments of God.
Too, so many injustices from our past that have not been resolved continue to haunt us today.
Justice is available to anyone who has the money to pay for the “right” attorney, contribute to the right politician, pay for a community project, have the right name, be from a well-connected family and justice can be bought, no matter one’s heritage, color or standing.
I believe we are replacing justice with political correctness, absurdity, and insanity.
Jesus spoke a warning about justice, “Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s loves will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12). Lawlessness is on the increase because justice is not pursued, applied evenly or swiftly.
Our justice system has its faults, but I do believe it is the best justice system in the free world. I do believe our justice system can be improved but I wonder will it help with the heart of the issue, the real problem. The real problem is the human heart.
God said, “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give to each man according to his ways, according to the results of his deeds” (Jeremiah 17:9-10).
We have heard the chants over the past year, “No justice, No peace.” Who’s justice? On what standard, whose principles, will be used apply justice? Will we ever agree on what justice is?
Jesus sums up the pursuit of justice and equality with His statement in the Sermon on the Mount; “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12).
Based on this verse, are you a just person?
Clayton P. Adams, West Memphis, AR email: claytonpadamslll@gmail.com.
Clayton Adams
Justice is available to anyone who has the money to pay for the “right” attorney, contribute to the right politician, pay for a community project, have the right name, be from a well-connected family and justice can be bought, no matter one’s heritage, color or standing.
