Things Mama Taught Me: "Two Wrongs Don't Make a Right"

In the grammar of our language, two negatives used in a sentence result in a positive statement. "I am not unhappy," means that I am happy to some extent or at least neutral. "I don't like for there to be no answer," means that I do want an answer. In mathematics, too, multiplying two negative numbers gives a positive number. There are times, though, that this rule does not hold true, for my mother insisted that getting even for a wrong (a "negative" occurrence) by repaying with another wrong did not make for a happy, positive result.

The Lord says this, "Let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!" (Amos 5:24 NIV) Made in His likeness, we too want justice. We detest corruption, we want the rules to be fair, we expect wrongdoing to be dealt with. So often, like the children we once were, we want to see to it ourselves that wrongs are made right. And too often, we try to make things right by perpetrating another wrong. Instead, the Scripture tells us, "Don't hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you've got it in you, get along with everybody. Don't insist on getting even; that's not for you to do. 'I'll do the judging,' says God. 'I'll take care of it.' Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he's thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don't let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good." (Romans 12:17-21 MSG)

I’m not sure there is such a thing as justice brought about by humans, since it is clearly an attribute of God. We all want it, but we sometimes do poorly at achieving it for our society. I am called upon as a child of God to live justly myself: "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8 NIV) But I will not be able to fix my world by becoming the judge who can determine what is just and right, and the jury who will decide if others have kept the rules or not, and the enforcer who will mete out appropriate rewards and penalties. My "rules" just won't work for everyone, everywhere, all the time. Nor will responding with actions motivated by anger, hatred, or fear toward those who are unjust resolve the issues.

"Two wrongs don't make a right." Act justly. Love mercy. Walk humbly with God.

MaryMartha

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. Scripture marked MSG is taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

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