We long for it.

Even as small children, watching Mom cut the peanut butter sandwiches in half, we looked to see if either half was more than half or less than half. (The wise mom, once her children are old enough to safely handle a butter knife, allows one child to cut and the other child to choose. The cutter becomes ever so careful to cut as close to even as possible.)

Fair play.

Justice is a longing felt deep in the soul. It is unique to humans, part of the heritage that is innately human, given that we are created in the image of God.

When we witness great injustices, such as the Holocaust or the Jim Crow laws of the deep South, it arouses a roar of objection in our hearts. This cannot stand.

This is not right.

I knew the Jim Crow laws were wrong at first glimpse and, young as I was at the time, no one was going to convince me otherwise. My introduction to that time of great injustice took place during the nightly news broadcasts in the early 60s, when the Civil Rights movement was in the news every day.

I knew that the unspeakable horrors of the Holocaust could never be anything but wrong and surely assaulted even the heart of God himself. I did not know this from an intellectual viewpoint, I did not know this from an educational viewpoint. I knew it instinctively, immediately, upon hearing the smallest hint of it, and no one has ever convinced me otherwise.

Justice. A tangible hunger, part of our created psyche.

Anywhere that we witness persecutions, perversions, oppressions and crimes against a people based on any measure of vulnerability, be that age, gender,nationality, social status or beliefs, our hearts cry for justice. Sometimes our hunger drives us to reach for it ourselves, almost as a vigilante force. Such could have been the case last week in McCook when unwelcome visitors arrived. But our emotions were restrained long enough for some at least to realize that these people deserve pity in light of their coming judgment and that only mercy can save them from that judgment.

I remember reading somewhere that one of the reasons there are so many popular court dramas on television and why people tune in night after night for episode after episode of Law & Order (three variations available) or CSI (three locales available), etc., is because in less than 60 minutes we see crimes committed, then solved, with the person or persons responsible brought before the judge's bench where justice is served. And our hunger is satiated once again.

But the hunger returns, deeper and less easily satisfied with every glimpse of yet another injustice. And soon enough the temporary satisfaction of manufactured justice no longer satisfies. We long for true justice.

The hunger is deeply felt.

And one day, it will be wholly satisfied.

On a word search count, there are no less than 131 Scriptures containing the word "justice" in the New International Version of the Bible.

* It is taught in the Law -- "Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly." (Leviticus 19:15); Follow justice and justice alone, so that you may live and possess the land the Lord your God is giving you." (Deuteronomy 16:20)

* It is a promise -- "He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun." (Psalm 37:6)

* It is God's nature -- "Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you." (Psalm 89:14)

* It is a command -- "This is what the Lord Almighty says: 'Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.'" (Zechariah 7:9)

* It is inevitable -- "For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead." (Acts 17:31)

This is at once a comforting thought and a terrifying one.

In order for justice to be done, there must first be judgment.

And judgment is only comfortable when justice is aimed at the "other guy."

One hundred and twenty-eight verses give us a picture of the Lord's judgment, and it will come to each of us.

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad." (2 Corinthians 5:10)

I know with certainty that if I receive what my deeds deserve, I will be utterly consumed by the Lord's wrath.

My only hope, our only hope, and the hope of all mankind, is to fall on Jesus, finding in him the mercy needed to escape judgment, the mercy the Lord loves more than sacrifice. Only in Jesus can we escape the punishment our sins, both large and small, deserve.

"... because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!" James 2:13 (NIV)

Things you won't see in heaven: Picket signs