Grab a bullhorn, head into the street and shout this at everyone in the vicinity: “The justice system is broken! The justice system is broken!”
Finally, both political sides agree! Our nation is uniting! We have come together around the common belief that our justice system is totally unjust. It feels great to agree, doesn’t it?
Injustice only bothers us when we’re victims of it. We’re not upset when our opponents are treated unjustly. We keep a running total in our head of all the injustice “our side” has suffered. So when the “other side” is treated unfairly, we think that’s a good thing because justice is “balancing out.” But, that’s NOT how justice works.
You don’t fix injustice with MORE injustice.
The reason our justice system is broken is because it’s made-up of people. People are bias, selfish, and unfair. There are no impartial people anywhere on Earth. You are correct when you loudly proclaim, “The court system is unjust!”
And…you are also correct when you loudly proclaim, “I have no clue how to bring justice about!” Of course, you’ve never said such a thing (loudly or otherwise). Your objection to injustice stops with “the system.” You never seem to notice that you’re no better than the people you critique.
Awhile back in Kenosha, Wisconsin, some people decided to protest injustice by damaging property and looting stores. A dude by the name of Kyle Rittenhouse decided he would bring the scales of justice into balance by inserting himself and his rifle into the riot. Now, the whole country is bickering about whether or not Rittenhouse should be punished for committing a crime.
Let me direct your attention to the one thing we all agree about, “The justice system is broken.” No matter what happens to Rittenhouse, it won’t be justice. When Rittenhouse took his gun into the street, he wasn’t going to create fairness. The court is not going to make things fair no matter what verdict is returned. The injustice has already happened. Punishing criminals doesn’t bring their victims back to life.
While we agree that the system is broken, it’s important to understand that the flawed court system is much, much, much, much, much, much better than you trying to enact justice on your own. It is better to stay home and let the rioters burn down your shop than to engage with deadly force. The system is broken. And so are you. (Notice I’m talking about intentionally going to where the trouble is happening. I’m not talking about trouble finding you. So please don’t say dumb things that start with, “If a burglar breaks into my house and threatens my family…”)
You are tasked, by God himself, with acting justly. It is your obligation to try and be fair even though you will fail repeatedly in the attempt. The most difficult time to be fair is when you are treated unfairly. When you suffer injustice, your instincts will tell you to start a riot or perhaps shoot at a rioter. You will be adding injustice to injustice. It won’t improve anybody’s life, including your own.
If you truly believe the system is broken, stop making yourself part of the system.
“The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?”
(1 Corinthians 6:7)
