The Flow of Justice — Personal and National: Three Questions to Open Our Souls

Following up yesterday’s post, I would like to consider some implications of injustice and justice. Taken in context, Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote about the injustice of society and political, governmental, and cultural leaders of his time, and it was spot-on valid in his “Letter from Birmingham City Jail.” However, the fact that fifty years later injustices not only still exist in some areas but also are increasing in others says to me that the most hurtful injustices are the ones that we perpetrate against our own hearts, our core selves.
One of those famous quotes from MLK’s “Letter from Birmingham City Jail” deals with this topic: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” It could not be more true than when that injustice starts inside of us; it crumbles all the best, sincerest efforts of those who cared and who followed their hearts in establishing an ever-increasing move towards true equality. None of them, or us, were or are perfect, but they were moving forward: Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman — too many to mention. But those efforts become empty shells when we don’t follow our hearts and live our authentic self. Some laws, codes, mandates, etc. that deal with just treatment of one another and that deal with morality simply will not hold up when willful ignorance is embraced by large segments of the population — and I definitely am referring to both sides of almost any current issue.
I cannot, nor would I even try, to tell you what your heart says, except in one area I know for sure: hearts do not ever instruct us to initiate harm towards another human being. So, when ugly voices are raised and ugly actions are taken, these are from ego, and they represent injustice not only to others but also to Self.
In my upcoming novel, The Fellowship of the Heart, one of the protagonists, Eric Lafarnge (rhymes with orange), says “Justice is not what the system delivers, but it is what we live and exhibit in relation to others, a personal justice of fairness which we express to one another without expectation or exception because it is simply a way of relating to each other. We must make justice happen in our lives, make justice a part of our character. That is the most important kind of justice.” Yes, it is necessary and critical to have the legislation, but the legislation that deals with morality must be followed by a heart response of individuals.
Ultimately, I guess what I am calling for here is a redefinition of justice that begins with self. That is exactly where the leaders of justice, equality, and civil rights began — with self. If you don’t believe that, do as I recommended yesterday and read Dr. King’s letter.
We really need to leave behind the descent into the dark and threatening caverns of ego that loom before us during this election year, and current candidates aren’t the answer. We need to be personally moving Onward and Upward!
Questions to open the floodgates of justice:

1. Have you awakened to your own heart?
2. When you speak to your heart, what do you hear your response should be to current social issues, i.e., how self-aware are you? (You are not self-aware if you haven’t answered positively for the first question.)
3. How are you expressing personal justice? (National justice = an empty shell with no personal justice)

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