Justice, Mercy, and the Light

In the wake of recent events, I’ve struggled watching people of every stripe eager to one-up their opponents, demanding vigilante justice as though vengeance were a virtue. In the midst of this, I found myself returning to Crito from Plato’s Five Dialogues of Socrates.

Socrates asks:

Mikal Johnson

“…ought we respect all the opinions of men? … if he disobeys the one, and disregards his opinion and praise, but respects that of the multitude and of those who know nothing, will he not suffer some evil? … And does this hold good or not—that to live well and honorable and justly are the same thing?”

Peter put it more succinctly:

“We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).

Paul unfolded the same truth in practical terms:

“…obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” (Colossians 3:22–23).

Socrates continues:

“…that to live well and honorable and justly are the same thing… that we should on no account deliberately commit injustice… injustice is, on every account, both evil and disgraceful to him who commits it.”

James echoes this:

“…whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin” (James 4:17).

Socrates presses further:

“Neither ought one who is injured to return the injury, as the multitude think … To do evil in return when one has been evil-entreated — is that right, or not? … For to do evil to men differs in no respect from committing injustice.”

Peter:

“Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing” (1 Peter 3:9).

And finally, Paul gives the fullest expression:

“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them… Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all… Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ … Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:14–21).

These are hard words. Harder still to live. Yet another philosopher I admire once asked:

“Are you tough enough to be kind?
Do you know your heart has its own mind?
When darkness gathers around the light — hold on, hold on.
There is a light you can’t always see.
… Don’t let it go out.”

–Paul David Hewson (Bono of U2)

​Let us, then, be that light in the darkness — for a frightened and weary world, whether they notice or not.

In His Name, Mika