Are You a Minister of Justice?

Across the globe, countries everywhere have Ministries of Justice or Departments of Justice; Government departments named for an idea—Justice.  New Zealand has the Ministry of Justice; as does Japan and Greenland, with the leaders of these departments typically called the Minister of Justice.  Their roles depend on the country’s legal requirements, however, with that title, we hope that the person is always striving to bring “justice” to her or his country.  At times, a country’s Minister of Justice is looking at justice as a large overall concept; yet justice is as important whether it is a large social concept or a small interpersonal interaction.  Albert Einstein once said:   

 In matters of truth and justice, there is no difference between large and small problems, for issues concerning the treatment of people are all the same.

Seeking Justice

Over the decades and centuries there have been any number of notable individuals striving for justice.  In the United States, such names as Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, Susan B. Anthony or Abraham Lincoln are all names of individuals who sought justice for all.  Their actions brought a more cohesive society as they provided the stepping-stones along the path, but much more is still demanded.  In other countries, individuals such as Nelson Mandela, Saint Augustine, Óscar Sánchez, or Mahatma Gandhi have all pushed for justice, trying to make their country and the world a better place.

Granted, there are very few Nelson Mandela’s or Martin Luther King Jr.’s in the world, but that does not mean we can’t each make a difference.  How each of us treats another person can provide a stepping-stone to justice for everyone.  When we recognize inequality, whether it is within the family or the local neighborhood, and then act to rectify that inequality we are continuing the push for justice for all.

So the question is, what have you personally done to bring justice to your family, your community, or your country?  Are you personally a minister of justice for those around you?

Being a Minister of Justice

According to the dictionary, the word “minister” has a number of meanings, such as:

• a diplomatic representative or someone on a seat of government, or,
• a person who officiates in a religious service, or,
• when looking at the Latin meaning of the word, it means a servant.

A government minister serves to the needs of her country.  A religious minister serves to the needs of his congregation.  You, as a minister of justice, can serve to the needs of your family or your community.    For any social interaction, consider how a simple question can start the process.  The question being: ‘How do I want to be treated by this person?’  The question is not ‘how do I expect to be treated by this person’ because then we are imposing our own attributes onto the person.  It is simply: ‘How do I want to be treated by this person?’  Do you want the person to respect you?  Do you want the person to be honest and play by the rules with you? Do you want the person to listen to what you have to say with an open mind? Do you want the person to be fair with you? 

I have no doubt that the answers to those questions were all yes. With that in mind, and expecting that from others, how can we not give that in return? Treat others fairly; respect them even when disagreeing on ideas; and be honest and open-minded.  Of course, not everyone will treat us how we want to be treated and then it is difficult to maintain that open, respectful attitude.  It is at that moment, that we must be strong and recognize that it takes time and effort to bring about change. It is at that moment we can be true ministers of justice.

On the outside, we have many differences, skin color, hair color, gender, height, and weight.  But on the inside we are the same, bones, veins, brain, and heart.   A person raised in Australia has differences in culture and beliefs than someone from Vietnam or individuals from Peru or Egypt.  Those differences can create issues and even great challenges, but giving that person her respect and treating the person as we each expect to be treated is the first step in being a minister of justice and changing the world to be a better, more just place.