Photo copyright John M. Kingery 2011
Welcome back or welcome for the first time.
It has been a busy week since returning from New Orleans. I continue sharing my thoughts about “Justice: A List, “Justice: A List, A Ladder, A Garment and Wheel”. I am focusing on justice as ‘A Ladder’.
While in New Orleans, my wife and I rode the St. Charles street car to and from the SASI conference. At home in Beaverton, Oregon, I commute daily to work on the MAX light rail in downtown Portland. Street cars and light rail are modes of transporting people from one destination to another on a horizontal plane. There are stops, turns, bridges and tunnels along the way. What connection do street cars and light rail have to Justice as “A Ladder”?
Well, they are both modes of transportation. The ladder is a vertical means of transporting one more individuals. An important difference is the ladder provides the means to get to destination that would otherwise not be reachable. The ladder of Justice has as its destination Peace. Peace is the work of justice and the effect of charity. [1]
Last Friday evening, the MAX train was crowded workers returning home and others who had been out enjoying the beautiful sunshine. The Northwest has only recently begun to experience weather and temperatures expected in summer. As the train progressed on its westbound journey, passengers disembarked along the way.
I struck up a conversation with a young man returning with an Arsenal football (soccer) jersey with ‘Fly Emirates’ stitched apposite the Arsenal team logo. He was not from the Emirates, but was from Saudi Arabia. It had been a long day at work, and I was tired. After few more stops, the train car was emptying out of passengers and bicycles. The young man offered me a seat.
“No, thank you’, I replied, “I have been sitting most of the day”.
I fumbled around for card to give him. The ‘Ladder’ justice card seemed the most appropriate. On its back it has the following verse recounting the story of Jacob’s ladder at Bethel.
“… A stairway rested the ground, with its top reaching to heavens; and God’s messengers were going up and down on it.” – Genesis 28:12 NAB
Do we forget that the ladder of justice rests on the ground? We strive for peace that is on earth and heaven.
Is it possible we forget or do not recognize the going up and going down of God’s messengers of justice?
Please respond to admjatt@justiceatthetable.com with your thoughts.
In Christ and Peace,
John