JUSTICE Part 1 of 2

Most of us would say that justice is a good thing; it is one of the values that make America, America. We want justice to be served. When we are wronged or a crime is committed what we want is justice. We want someone to be responsible for the wrongs, the injustices. Then we fight for justice. That is who we are as Americans.

When the towers fell on September 11th, 2001, the entire nation reeled at the massive injustice that had been brought to our soil. We grieved, we searched, we pulled away rubble, we sifted through ashes. Even if we did not personally know someone who died, we still somehow felt the gaping hole. In the days following we learned who was responsible and soon we were in the fight - for justice.

The last ten years will likely go down in the history books as a decade that America sought closure and justice. For the lives that were taken from us, we wanted justice; for the hearts that were broken for their loss, we wanted justice; for the nation that was attacked, we wanted justice; for the memories that were seared into our souls of two towers burning and collapsing, we wanted justice. On May 1st, 2011 justice was served with an American bullet (66 years to the day after Hitler died from his own bullet).

It has been said that justice is about giving a voice to those who cannot speak for themselves. To the 2992 people who died in the attacks (minus the perpetrators) our voice on your behalf has been heard. We never forgot you. We all wanted justice for those who lost their lives. Yet if we were to receive justice ourselves for even the little things we have done we might think twice. Justice is a liberating event when you are the one wronged.

2000 years ago justice of a different kind was served with a cross and some nails. But you and I don't get justice, instead we get mercy. We don't get what we deserve, we get what He paid for. Because God never forgot or abandoned us. He hears the voice of those who call to him. I know this for sure, God is present in the places where injustice happens - to comfort those who have to walk that road. He sticks around to see that justice happens. Whether it is justice he accomplishes on our behalf, or just his presence in the stairwells of collapsing towers, God does not leave us but gives a voice to those who cannot speak for themselves.

Just a Meandering Thought...

BARUCH

I have been doing a little reading on a Biblical character lately named Jeremiah. As an Old Testament prophet he is a fascinating character study. He told people what they did not want to hear, so almost no one wanted to be associated with him in any way. He experienced humiliation and agony for trying to make his point to people who were not even listening. All the other "prophets who were around in his day were presenting messages that contradicted his, which really made him look foolish. He was ridiculed, imprisoned, black listed and ignored for his very unpopular messages but for some reason he kept on going. Why??

There was one person who stood by his side - a little known character named Baruch. Baruch was the guy who wrote down Jeremiah's messages. When Jeremiah was in prison Baruch even carried the messages and read them aloud to their intended audience. Baruch is at least partly responsible for giving us the book of Jeremiah. Even though Baruch was just the writer/messenger he, at times, suffered side by side with Jeremiah. He experienced punishment he did not deserve because he chose to be associated with someone who was constantly pushing the envelope; he chose to be associated with someone who dared fierce obedience to God. Jeremiah suffered through some tough times, but he always had Baruch. I dare say that without Baruch, Jeremiah would not have been the prophet that we know today.

Moses had Joshua, Ruth had Naomi, David had Jonathan, Paul had Timothy, Jesus had twelve guys around him. It seems only right that we should not try to do this thing we call life on our own - separated from people who could carry us in those times when we cannot carry ourselves. We all need a Baruch in our lives who is there when no one else is willing to be there. Who do you have??

Just a Meandering Thought...

SUMMIT

About a Week ago I hiked up my favorite mountain in the North East, Mount Adams. It is not high compared to the mountains you read about in magazines, or see in news reports but it is an intense mountain. The reason I like it is because along with being the second highest peak in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and part of the Presidential Range it is the only one that comes to a "pointy" summit. At 5,799 feet it peaks about 1,200 feet above treeline which means that the last mile or so of the hike is very exposed to the elements. As we approached the summit my comrades and I experienced winds sustained at about 60 to 70 miles per hour. What added a mystical element to our experience was that once we emerged from the trees we were above the clouds... yeah the skies were "under-cast" where we were. As the sun set it lit up the clouds. It was beautiful. What some people don't realize is that these mountains are some of the most dangerous in the U.S. The reason is because many people under estimate the conditions there in the Whites. Until a recent cyclone off the coast of Australia, the fastest wind speeds in the surface of the earth had been recorded in the Presidential Range.

As I stood there braced against the wind and biting cold on the "Airline" ridge I thought for a moment that there have been very few people who have stood where I was standing and have seen the view that I was seeing. Then I looked at a sign post and was reminded why so few people make that hike in the middle of winter to experience was I was experiencing. The high winds and extreme cold temperatures create ice formations like this one. What does it take to have experiences like this one. What does it take to have an experience that so few people have? The Answer is quite simple, by going where so few people go. By being willing to do what so few others are willing to do. By doing something difficult, that takes some effort, perhaps to the point of exhaustion.

One of the writers of the New Testament, Paul, writes about how perseverance will bring about character. "...we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." Romans 5:3-4. So few people are interested in Character these days so few people persevere. Anything that involves our own sweat or effort or sacrifice is the sort of thing we put effort into avoiding. We would rather have someone else do it for us. The only draw back to that approach is that whoever does the work eventually gets to enjoy reward, or in my case the view at the top. Whoever perseveres gets the character growth. Not always right away but in the end your efforts catch up with you. No one can grow your relationship with God other than you. No one can put in the effort and get results for you other than you.

I could have sent some one else to the summit of Mount Adams and had them take pictures all the way, but I would not have seen it for myself, I would not have felt the wind on my face, or touched the snow laden branches with my own hands. I would have to settle for pictures. The real thing is so much better yet many times we settle for a two dimensional experience rather than a four dimensional experience. It is four dimensions because the real thing involves time and space, whereas three dimensions only involve space. The real thing with God is the kind of thing that can only really be experienced in person; temporally and specially. We cannot do it through someone else, not even our parents our friends, our religious leaders, or anyone else. Doing that takes personal character, to get character we must learn from and work through difficult circumstances. In order to learn and grow we must experience difficult circumstances... kind of like trying to stand up straight in 60 to 70 mile an hour winds.

So if you find yourself there, in difficult circumstances, and wishing you were somewhere else, like anyone would, hang in there, keep going, persevere. The view farther ahead is most certainly worth it.

Just a thought...