Justice… a word that people seldom care about until they are a victims themselves. This word and subject has been on my mind a lot. I have spent the better part of my week in a court room standing by the side of an incredibly brave young woman. I wanted to take a moment to just reflect on the Christian response to justice.
When the word justice comes to mind, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Perhaps it is for those who may not have gotten justice. When I was younger I remember watching my parents glued to the TV as the details to the O.J. Simpson trial was brought to life. I also remember the all around awe that most people felt when the verdict came back as innocent. Or perhaps you remember those who may have gotten “justice.” It was not too long ago as Saddam Hussein was found guilty and killed for his heinous crimes against his country. In both countries there were trials, victims, convictions and in some form… justice.
But what about when you ARE on the victim side of justice. What about when it’s tough to pull together all of the evidence and things don’t go your way? What do you do when you’re a victim, and the defendant walks?
I had to ask this question tonight. I watched as a defendant received ”not guilty” verdicts on 7 counts of various crimes. I watched as the victim had to work through seeing this all unfold. I have come to only one conclusion that got me through this trial with any type of sanity.
GOD’S JUSTICE IS NOT THE SAME AS OUR JUSTICE.
This is hard for us to keep in perspective. We were built to feel. When things don’t work our way… it still stings. I remember first watching the movie “Hotel Rwanda.” I felt a deep sadness that there was no justice, and that wrongdoers got away with such horrible acts. I felt that way tonight. But I need that stiff reminder that the convictions are yet to be handed out.
There is one, and sometimes two judges that one must stand toe to toe with. Today we had to stand across form a judge who was given his power and authority by the state of Pennsylvania. However… eventually, one day the defendant will stand toe to toe with the judge of all judges. The one who knows all crimes and can hand out JUST sentences. If you’re asking me which one I am more scared of… that answer is obvious. Our job is quite different. Our job is to love, strive to bring any kind of justice we can in this world, to forgive and to trust. That is all that we can do. The last is incredibly important. We must trust that God knows what is he is doing. And the one who is all-knowing will bring justice in this life or the next. It is not ours to worry about.
This has been an incredibly long day… and I will still need time to process. Let us all, however, be thinking about justice… it’s not always as it seems. One day we will understand things we could never possibly fathom. Until that day, let us attempt to bring justice and fight for the truth.
“God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work.” - Ecclesiastes 3:17
