justice is balance
No one gets everything in every way. Justice comes to everyone eventually. All things generally equalize over time. The character Henri Ducard (played by Liam Neeson) said ‘Justice is balance’, in Batman Begins and I find it true to life. Justice and righteousness (meaning essentially the same thing in ancient Hebrew) require balance to be true. In all life situations this more or less works. Researching history we find that justice is inevitable.
According to our place in life, we are only accorded as much justice as our peers. We are neither superior nor inferior. Our peer group, therefore, is the bar by which we are measured. This should make us want to criticize those from whom we can learn because, among other things, we will benefit from the more privileged standard of justice compared to the standard we would normally receive.
In its crudest form, this justice is probably true, which is why none of us have a swollen head. As the pendulum swings in our direction, we are prone to towering and powerful; pushes the other back and we have to deal with the new humiliating reality. It’s healthy that we don’t get everything our way. It reminds us that we are not God, and that we will always be subject to his rule. whether we like that fact or not.
If we work hard we hurt ourselves more; if we work too hard, the blessing is contaminated. If we don’t work hard enough, well, justice will eventually catch up with us. Justice is diligence.
Justice is also prudence. When we consider things carefully, weighing the risk, judging the timing correctly, we get the best possible outcome for ourselves and others affected. If, on the other hand, we treat lightly, we know what inevitably happens; Justice.
Justice is shalom. When we trust justice because we trust it, we are at peace with it, and this develops faith in us to expect justice to be done in the general sense.
Justice is respect. It’s the right order of things, plus or minus a pinch of injustice (which requires faith for us to endure). It respects the natural and supernatural order and does not interfere with its operation; sometimes we don’t like it, but we dare not stand in the way of justice.
Justice is ultimately wisdom. Justice is truth; a good, clear, strong and general truth. Justice is beauty we can trust. Justice is bigger than us every time.
Praise God Almighty for justice. His justice is balanced.
Copyright © 2009, SJ Wickham. All rights reserved throughout the world.