So I left the topic of requirements for life a bit unfinished to say the least in the last post, so will pick up with the ‘Justice’ thought; We live in a world that is crying out for justice and even has many organizations that are set up to promote justice. But what is it really? Well a simple dictionary definition comes down to the idea of impartial... But at the end of the day it is something that when it is right we know it and when we are treated un-justly we know that as well.

There are days that justice would give me things I really don’t want, that I would receive the penalty of the deeds I messed up in. and there are other days I just want a fair go in life. So really what I desire in the area of justice is just getting what is fair and balanced and impartial. But we all tend to want our idea of justice for ‘me’ and let the other guy get what he gets.

But God requires us to ‘do justice’, this is about more than what we want, it is about how we live our lives. It is about how we treat our fellow man. I was reminded again of one of the great documents in history as I listened to a group of actors read the US Declaration of Independence. It has been a while since I read that document for myself, but to actually hear it read was well worth the effort and a reminder of the sense of what we are to be about. That famous line; “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” It gives to me a sense of what justice is, it outlines things that are essential to human life and dignity.

But too often I fear we want it for me at the cost of others, forgetting that God wants us to live this principle for ourselves but also for our community, country and the world at large. While I understand that I will never change the world as such, I hope that I can at least influence a few others around me to be better, to live justly as we try to be impartial in our treatment of each other. It will often come back to the two great commandments that say; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and strength and the second is like it, love your neighbour as yourself, on these two hang all the law and prophets.

But as we add living justly, treating people around as they deserve to be treated in an impartial and fair manner, to our standard of life, we must grow into the second requirement of loving kindness or as the old Authorized Version puts it, love mercy...

To be continued...