"Let him who is without sin cast the first stone."
In rereading my last couple of posts, it seems obvious that I need to think about something else. Justice is an ideal that everybody wants for the other guy, but for ourselves, well, we really don't want it anyway.
I'm no different. I don't want to face the ideal of Justice head on. Especially if Truth is anywhere close by. It is strange how our minds work.
If I'm talking about me, I would encourage everyone to take the bad with the good; to remember my assets as well as my shortcomings. After all, I'm not perfect (and never said I was). I'm a work in progress, and I'm not finished yet. I'm doing the best I know how, and would do better if I knew what better is. I'm entitled to my idiosyncrasies, my likes and dislikes, my weirdness and my quirks. These things makes me unique, special, individual and distinguishable.
But 'that guy' needs to conform to my (read: society's, culture's) image of what he should be. Of course I'm allowed to stereotype that guy, and criticize everything from his clothes to his character that doesn't meet my expectations. Lifestyle is always a choice, and he should choose one I agree with or face the consequences.
I know I'm not perfect. I'm allowed to make mistakes as I grow and learn. Sometimes my mistakes hurt someone else, and I'm sorry about that. But I don't screw up on purpose, and holding me accountable for every error or misjudgement doesn't serve any purpose. Thank God, I live life in a context where mistakes can be made now and then, and mercy covers them and I learn from the experience.
But 'that guy' should be held accountable for his actions, especially if those actions hurt me or someone else. Justice must be served. "An eye for an eye." If that guy does things that cause damage, pain or loss to others, he should pay. Debt is not just a financial term. That guy needs to pay his bills, and redeem his negative and hurtful actions with suffering, compensation or his own blood. This is the way of things.
In short, "God have mercy on me and let your justice take care of everyone else."
Can't we give 'that guy' the same benefit of the doubt we want for ourselves, and extend to him the mercy and grace we want to be extended to us?