The Critical Element

Justice. It’s such an admirable word. Since I was a young girl, an innate desire for justice existed and exists within me. Have you ever joined a cause because it touted justice, only to find out that your definition of how to achieve justice is quite different? Through the years, I’ve experienced many instances where people have different perspectives of what justice is and how to achieve it. Even in times of conflict, all parties want “justice” despite seemingly opposite objectives. 

When I read the passages of Isaiah and Matthew, what sticks out to me is that Jesus was not sent to do the work of justice as a mere man; the Holy Spirit was required:  “I will put my spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations” (Isaiah 42:1 and Matthew 12:18).

Somehow, every person that crossed Jesus’ path, despite their ideology, recognized His uniqueness. In His earthly pursuit of justice, Jesus saw each person’s humanity and did no harm. Matthew 12:20 says, “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory.” 

God is the ultimate executor of justice; we humans are not. This provides a sense of relief. While we can do our best to follow the Holy Spirit in our pursuit of justice, we can rest in knowing that one day Jesus will bring “justice through to victory.” 

As we move forward on earth in our pursuit of justice, (until Jesus brings ultimate justice through to victory) let’s be sure we have the critical element, the Holy Spirit, involved on our journey forward.  When we do, we acknowledge the humanity in others. 

• Find someone who has a different definition of justice than you do.  Before hearing their perspective, thank God through prayer that He created that person in His image.  Ask questions about how they envision justice to be achieved. Listen only to understand. Reflect. Then pray about how this new perspective may inform your actions and decisions.