One of the things I really miss about my former colleagues was all the random theology discussions. I had one fellow in particular that would think up some random and deep theological mystery and ask a few of us for our thoughts. Talk about something that challenges your faith. I miss that. Time to grow up a little and challenge my own faith.
I was watching "Harry's Law" last night and there was something at the end of it that caught my attention. Where did we get the idea that justice is fair?
How often do we cry out for justice and find ourselves wondering what happened when we see the aftermath? Justice isn't always fair. Justice isn't always pretty. But justice is entirely necessary. Without it we abuse our freedoms. We abuse what little power or wealth or knowledge we have. Inequality is not just present but terrible because it lacks hope.
I'm reading my Bible today (wow, it's been awhile) and I'm at the part where Joseph interprets Pharoah's dreams. This guy has been through it all. Sold by his brothers, betrayed by his boss's wife, falsely accused, thrown in jail to rot. Where's the justice in that?
He didn't give up, though. Maybe it's because of faith, but I'd like to think that he still believed that God practices justice. God likes to set things right. God likes to guide people to exactly where they need to be at the right moment in time because that's where they were meant to be. Even if it means slavery and jail. And it's not even about God setting things right for Joseph. In this case God was looking out for an entire nation.
Sometimes justice is God sending a photographer halfway around the world so she'll meet a group of kids growing up in the red light district because she is the only one with the creativity and resources to rescue them. But not all of them could be rescued. Not all wanted to be rescued. But justice is the force that provides the hope for a way out. Even if not everyone does get out.
I wonder, though, why one of the men in jail with Joseph had to die. Joseph predicted two dreams before he met the king; one for a baker, the other for a cupbearer. One went back to work, the other was killed. Why did he have to die? Couldn't they both have dreamt that they would go back to work? Or been freed? Or had a visit from a family member? Maybe he got what was coming to him, but still.
Justice isn't always fair for all those involved. Realizing that it's not fair that someone has more than you might also mean you are forced to realize that many don't have half as much as you. So much of the world is off 'balance.' If God is just, why do good people go through bad things? Why do innocent people die? Why does disease kill babies? I think a better question might be this: what are we doing to right wrongs and bring justice to what we can? It's a lot of work and sacrifice. It's not fair. It won't always work out beautifully. People will still die. Children will still live in the slums of the red light district. But I think it's worth a shot.
