A couple of weeks ago, the bank that I go through with my school, HSBC, doubled charged me for two payments.
I was a little bit angry.
It seemed that the bank always seems to make "convenient mistakes" to their own advantage.
Because it happened to me, I was sure to go as many times as I needed to in order that it was corrected.
I felt that an "injustice" (though in the greater scheme an insignificant inconvenience) had been done, and I had to make it right.
However, it gets me thinking.
Am I nearly as concerned as the great injustice that happened to others as I am to the small "slights" that come to me? In order to really become people of goodness, we have to be people that seek justice, and seeking justice involves much more than fighting for our own self interests.
If there is anything that this latest political season has taught us is that there is a lot of self-interest.
Everything seems to be about "my tax rate", "my financial interests", and "my comfort.
" Much less time is spent focusing on the overall ideas of justice in society.
Both those on the left and right are guilty of this-this is not a problem of only Republicans or Democrats (though there are certain groups that certainly address these issues of social and economic justice more than others).
In fact, we are all guilty.
It is our tendency to blow out of proportion our own problems, while downplaying the problems of other people.
Jesus had some very intriguing words when he first started his public ministry.
He stated, " The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.
" Jesus was greatly concerned about justice in society, especially in regard to the poor, oppressed, and outsiders.
This same concern for the "other" and the injustices in society should well up in our own hearts.
We should hunger and thirst for righteousness that we may be filled.
In the course of seeking true justice, we find ourselves involved in a greater story of redemption and restoration.
Through this, we find true purpose and meaning in life.