Seven Holy Virtues: Justice

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. 

And what does the LORD require of you? 

To act justly, and to love mercy, 

and to walk humbly with your God.

Micah 6:8

just  adj. 1 right or fair; equitable; impartial

2 righteous; upright; correct, true

3 well-founded, reasonable

Injustice anywhere is a threat

to justice everywhere.

~ Martin Luther King

Justice is not a complicated term.  Justice is that which is right, fair, impartial, true.  Injustice is that which is  wrong, unfair, partial, a lie.  This world is full of corruption and injustice.  Aristotle said, At his best, man is the noblest of all animals; separated from law and justice, he is the worst.

When Cain killed Abel because he was ticked off that God accepted his brother's sacrifice but not his, God sought him out and asked where Abel was.  Cain replied, "I don't know! Am I my brother's keeper?"  God's answer?  "You bet your buttons you were!  But now your brother is dead, and the blood-soaked ground cries out to Me for justice!"   Cain's need to show his superiority and authority over his brother caused him to take away Abel's rights, as well as his very life.  That same scenario plays out, hour by hour, day by day, around the world.  If I believe that the only way I can have freedom is to do what I want without regard to anyone around me, inevitably I am going to impinge on the freedoms and rights of someone else.

It seems to be a difficult task to teach this generation that you do not do what is easy, what is convenient, what is expedient, what will line your coffers, or what will spread your fame - you do what is RIGHT.  Truth and righteousness are not exactly hot commodities in our society.  But justice calls us to stand up for the underdog, the oppressed, the defenseless.  God's advice?  Act with justice, deal with mercy, and walk with humility.