20150301
Recently in the news, we read of Fred Steese who was jailed in a Nevada prison in America for 20 years and in 2013 was found innocent because the real offender was caught. Was it injustice that a large part of Fred’s life was “stolen” from him? It could be spent with his family, watching his young children grow to adulthood, working at a regular job, celebrating annual festivities and free to go wherever he chooses. All this freedom was deprived year after year for Fred Steese. Here is justice gone wrong.
In other parts of the world, injustice and oppression are sometimes intended and deliberate. The worse of these are against women and children. Physical and mental abuses are done on the innocent who do not know their rights and cannot defend them. They are sold into prostitution and forced labour. Young children with their tiny nimble fingers are working at weaving carpets sit cross-legged working for hours when they should be out playing. Entire classroom of young girls are forcibly taken from their schools and families, indoctrinated and silenced into submission to some religious behaviour.
Is injustice and oppression more prevalent in our present day than during King Solomon’s time? The wise King Solomon seemingly had no absolute power and control over injustice and oppression. He saw the wickedness and the “tears of the oppressed” and despaired that power was on the side of the oppressors. This does not mean that King Solomon did not work at fighting injustice but he admitted it to be a battle he cannot win. The crux to this frustrating and infuriating predicament is “absolute”. No one, not even King Solomon and no present day Monarch, President or Prime Minister, has that absolute power to rid the world of injustice. So yes, rescues are made to liberate the young children and women, evil-doers are punished when they can be found.
Our response to evil is simply that we want “instant” justice; we want immediate release of suffering, pain and sorrow. But it does not happen. King Solomon has only one answer to this: “I said to myself, ‘God will bring into judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time to judge every deed’” (Ecclesiastes 3:17). To those who still struggle with sadness when they witness injustice, trust in God’s absolute power and sovereignty over good and evil. Dr David Jeremiah puts it this way, “Sooner or later, God’s righteousness will right every wrong, balance every scale, and correct every injustice in the world.”
