Many seek the favor of a ruler, but it is from the LORD that one gets justice.
We do this, don’t we? We try to get a good ruling here on earth. And it starts early, with brown-nosing teachers. We try to get in the good graces of people with some degree of authority, teachers, parents, bosses. In a community, we seek the favor of institutions – of courts, governments, church leaders. Even the disciples did it with Jesus, their teacher. Who among us is the greatest?
We seek fairness and vindication from human leaders. We even go to court to have judges rule in our favor. But the proverb suggests that only from the Lord can we actually get justice. What does that mean, when we sometimes receive favorable rulings?
Perhaps the distinction is a larger cosmic sense of justice. Only God can know how to make things just, even though judges try. Only God knows the overall scorecard to assure justice is meted out.
Think about the difference between public defenders and big corporate defense attorneys. Judges rule, but their ruling may not reflect true justice. It may more reflect ability to pay. God is just. Mere mortals cannot ultimately be just, as we do not see the biggest picture. We are too influenced by power, prestige, money. God is unmoved by power, prestige, money.
It seems that this proverb is suggesting that there is a distinction between what we seek by way of favorable ruling, and God’s justice. We need to remember that when we are trying to pass judgment on others, and when we seek favor. It’s not the same thing as God’s.
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