What ıS Justice? Poem by Daniel Partlow

What is Justice? It’s the preservation of ones rights and gifts from God.
Is it also the meting of retribution? Or is this aspect flawed?

When one person’s property is taken wrongly, a judge should restore it.
When the crafty deceiver attacks, the righteous should abhor it.

But is it the place of society to carry out capital executions?
Is it the place of man to exact Hammurabi’s retributions?

God claims all vengeance as His to impose.
And we are to redirect the sinner from the path he chose.

That’s all good and well, one could argue and respond.
But what of deterrence? Ahh, the gallows: aren’t we fond.

The wages of sin are death – its obvious to the pious.
But aren’t there so many who would like to deny us

Our freedoms, our property, even our way of life?
I trust that God will defend us from such strife.

When God has commanded us to enforce justice how is it done?
When Christ taught on the subject, what were the words of this Holy Son?

The ‘gods’ of the world are not to abuse their privilege and position.
Favoring the rich or subverting truth as the astrologer or magician.

In some very rare cases – but only when speaking through a prophet anointed
Was the sword’s edge commissioned and appointed.

Are the wars and executions of the world today so ordained?
This is what the authors of the ‘just war’ theory explained.

We should teach and forgive the unrighteous that they will not offend.
But for final protection, it is the arm of God – not that of man, we should depend.