I don’t suppose anyone can have escaped the surge in news covering the story of the Post Office Horizon software scandal and the hundreds of Sub-postmasters. If you have been living in a media blackout for the last few weeks or so, then I would highly recommend watching the ITV drama, Mr Bates versus the Post Office. It clearly lit the ‘blue touch paper’ on exploding this issue to the attention of the public, and seemingly forcing individuals, and government to do the right thing.
At the heart of the postmasters’ claim and the public response was an overwhelming desire for justice.
The emotional need for justice is visceral. Just watching the drama and the subsequent news interview left me feeling the same emotions as when as a child I was told off for something I had not done. Except for these people it wasn’t about a broken greenhouse window, it was about livelihoods, unsafe convictions, prison sentences and the loss of life of some concerned.
Justice and mercy are key attributes of God. We cannot fully appreciate the mercy of God without understanding His justice. Biblical justice is all about making things right. The parable of the widow in Luke 18:1-8 highlights the importance of victims getting justice. Like the widow in Luke 18, who kept demanding justice from the uncaring judge, victims want things to be put right. They seek for their voices to be heard and to not be seen as powerless.
Jesus spoke about justice but with a different emphasis. He advocated a personal approach to justice. A personal approach to justice sounds, on the face of it like vigilantism or an expression of the much misunderstood ‘eye for an eye’ but Jesus’s focus was more about our individual responsibility. A duty to bring justice by loving our neighbours and doing good for those around us, especially the poor and marginalized. He talked more about the responsibility of individuals than of authorities to promote good. Jesus defines his gospel as having a social component, which means the impoverished being lifted up, the “captive” to society’s wrongful norms being released, the physically hurting finding healing, and the, emotionally, spiritually or physically oppressed finding freedom. Whether you are a follower of Jesus or not, these are laudable things to strive for.
From the news articles of the day, I write this, it appears the sub-postmasters are one step closer to seeing their justice, I pray that each of us will be able to promote good and see justice in our own lives and for those around us. Justice may be blind but Jesus calls us not to be blind to injustice.
