I am weary of reading about the mob mentality that seems to overtake humans at certain times.  Why is it that people who are generally law abiding citizens can, when in a large group, cause millions of dollars of damage just because another law abiding group of people make a decision they do not like?

The Prophet Micah wrote that God requires of humanity that we seek out justice, love to show mercy and walk in humility (paraphrased Micah 6:8).  I think that our desire for justice many times is more about retribution than setting things right.  Many decry the 10 Commandments being posted in courthouses on religious grounds.  Those same people though really want laws based on similar passages from the Bible enacted and enforced.  We claim that “eye for an eye” justice is what is really called for.  I hope that the Judeo-Chrisitan God was trying to get good people to refrain from committing bad acts rather than prescribing punishment.

Justice and punishment are not the same thing.  Punishment is getting back at someone.  Justice is somehow more difficult to describe or define.  I feel that justice is best described by the statue of Justice.  Blindfolded yet fair.  Justice should be applied equally to all.  Punishment is never applied equally to all.  Punishment is about emotions and actions and consequences.  Justice is about keeping the scales balanced.

Mercy, on the other hand is about giving people another chance.  Mercy is saying:  “You did a wrong, yet I choose to forgive your wrong.”  Mercy is way harder than justice or punishment.  Mercy is allowing that smart people do stupid things.  Mercy is allowing that brave people do not perform brave acts when they are scared.  Who knows how any of us would react in a stressful situation.  Courage is acting mercifully in spite of your fear.  Being human is preserving yourself when you are afraid.

Somehow, in this Rambo/Chuck Norris world of ours, we forget that justice and mercy and humility all go together.  Chuck Norris walking into a biker bar and kicking the collective asses of 40 mean ole bikers is what justice has come to mean.  Forget the fact that in real life, most of those bikers are just hangers-on and are caught up in that mob mentality I wrote about before.  Or Rambo killing a whole fort of foreign soldiers to rescue his girl is not justice, that is just meanness.  At least Dr. Who gives the million or so bad guys a chance to surrender first.

I used to be a proponent of the death penalty.  As I grow older, I see too many opportunities for error.  Who are we to say who deserves death and who gets to live.  I do not want my state to kill someone in my name when I can’t be 100 percent sure the person is guilty.  Many times it seems the higher courts have their hands tied by procedure and precedence when ruling on lower court sentences and verdicts.

As long as true justice is not served, as long as people are marginalized, as long as people are left with feelings of anger and hurt and neglect, we will have injustice.  As long as we want punishment, we will be unmerciful.  As long as “I/me/mine” has first place there will be no humility.

Think on that.