Que Injusticia!

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by Ben Johnson (bio)

No one likes to be dealt with unjustly. Most of us can accept losing if we feel like we tried our best and just came up short. It's not pleasant but at least you had a fair shot, a chance at winning. It's something else entirely when the deck is stacked and you don't have a chance. What do you do then?

Several weeks ago I took my motorcycle to the local shop to have some work done. When I picked it up I noticed a crack in the fairing that hadn't been there when I dropped the bike off. I questioned the service manager and his response was, "That was there when you brought the bike in."

Immediately I felt the anger well up in my heart. I was about to be taken advantage of and there was nothing I could do about it. My mind raced in a thousand directions: How do I respond to this? Do I know any lawyers? Could I prove the crack wasn't there when I brought the bike in? Do I drive by the shop at night and throw a brick through their window?

I also felt conflicted and embarrassed. The natural man in me said I should be furious and I should seek revenge and 'no one takes advantage of me!' The spiritual man in me answered that prayers are offered for manipulators, cheeks should be turned, and coats and cloaks are a package deal. 

Every man chooses for himself what path to take but as Christian men it seems to us more like a tightrope. Too far to the natural side and your soul cankers and wears out from always taking offense. Too far to the other side and you become a doormat and a joke. I'm not sure where the balance is. Even looking at the Savior's life we see the contradiction. The same Man who flips over tables and whips scoundrels from the temple also stands silent while being mocked and beaten.

In the end, after a few days of back and forth with the service manager, I took my bike and went home. I feel cheated. There will be no satisfactory resolution forthcoming. The fairing is still cracked and won't be fixed. How can I forgive and move on now that every time I ride my motorcycle I will see a big, fat injustice staring back at me?