In this post we attempt to define love and justice to each other and try to better understand what they mean for us to be more just and loving, especially when the use of power is involved. Almost everyone has some type and degree of power over another person or persons.
The Israelis are more powerful than the Palatines. In most instances they hate each other. How can there be Love/Justice under these circumstances. I contend that a loving and Just act(s) does not depend on the feelings, attitudes, intentions, or states of mind of the actor(s.) Just as there a unintended bad consequences, one can have unintended good consequences. For example if the Israelis and Palestinians refrain from attacking each other and innocents on both sides live to see another day. To me this is good. . Obviously loving and just acts or hateful and unjust acts flow from the mind. An individual or group can mean to do evil to others, but by the power of God the consequences can be good. Even the despicable acts of the Nazis brought about an increased awareness of mans inhumanity to man. Even they evil acts, by the power of God influenced the rulers of earth, for good. In other words, the unintended good effects of the use of power.
The use of power need not involve coercion (force or the threat of force). At one extreme, it more closely resembles what everyday English-speakers call "influence", although some authors make a distinction between power and influence – the means by which power is used (Handy, C. 1993 Understanding Organisations).
But the Biblical concept of justice goes beyond fairness and equal treatment. It teaches
that justice begins and ends in God. It is not something humans created or can fully
achieve. When God – who is just in himself – brought the universe into being, he made
it to be a place of justice. Human beings were made to live justly in relation to God, to
each other, and to creation. (Prison Fellowship International; 2007 Restorative Justice Study)
Even as Einstein said that we should not speak of space and time, but of space-time. So also we should not speak of Love and Justice, but of Love/Justice. I write the following not only to my readers but also to myself. Love/Justice doesn't say to us if you have a loaf of bread just give the hungry one fourth or one half. Love/Justice tells us to give them the whole loaf. We give so little of our selves, our time, and our money. I have realized that to a far greater extent, since I can no longer drive. If you want to practice Love-justice find a cause that is greater than you and "your world." Make sure that cause serves the needs of those less fortune than yourself. The world needs is not intended to mean only food, shelter, clothing, etc. It is intended to include spiritual, moral, intellectual, emotional, and decisional. Based on the above statement I believe that every one has something to offer to someone.
I believe that even as God embodies in himself Love. He also embodies in himself justice. Jesus is the perfect expression of God's perfect justice.
The Israelis are more powerful than the Palatines. In most instances they hate each other. How can there be Love/Justice under these circumstances. I contend that a loving and Just act(s) does not depend on the feelings, attitudes, intentions, or states of mind of the actor(s.) Just as there a unintended bad consequences, one can have unintended good consequences. For example if the Israelis and Palestinians refrain from attacking each other and innocents on both sides live to see another day. To me this is good. . Obviously loving and just acts or hateful and unjust acts flow from the mind. An individual or group can mean to do evil to others, but by the power of God the consequences can be good. Even the despicable acts of the Nazis brought about an increased awareness of mans inhumanity to man. Even they evil acts, by the power of God influenced the rulers of earth, for good. In other words, the unintended good effects of the use of power.
The use of power need not involve coercion (force or the threat of force). At one extreme, it more closely resembles what everyday English-speakers call "influence", although some authors make a distinction between power and influence – the means by which power is used (Handy, C. 1993 Understanding Organisations).
But the Biblical concept of justice goes beyond fairness and equal treatment. It teaches
that justice begins and ends in God. It is not something humans created or can fully
achieve. When God – who is just in himself – brought the universe into being, he made
it to be a place of justice. Human beings were made to live justly in relation to God, to
each other, and to creation. (Prison Fellowship International; 2007 Restorative Justice Study)
Even as Einstein said that we should not speak of space and time, but of space-time. So also we should not speak of Love and Justice, but of Love/Justice. I write the following not only to my readers but also to myself. Love/Justice doesn't say to us if you have a loaf of bread just give the hungry one fourth or one half. Love/Justice tells us to give them the whole loaf. We give so little of our selves, our time, and our money. I have realized that to a far greater extent, since I can no longer drive. If you want to practice Love-justice find a cause that is greater than you and "your world." Make sure that cause serves the needs of those less fortune than yourself. The world needs is not intended to mean only food, shelter, clothing, etc. It is intended to include spiritual, moral, intellectual, emotional, and decisional. Based on the above statement I believe that every one has something to offer to someone.
I believe that even as God embodies in himself Love. He also embodies in himself justice. Jesus is the perfect expression of God's perfect justice.
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