The Virtue of Justice is the Foundation of Relationship

Growth in the virtue of justice begins with our relationships with the people closest to us. It is the constant habit of giving to each person what is owed. Commutative justice is a fancy word for exercising this virtue between individual persons. The simplest form of commutative justice deals with the payment of debts. But it is also practiced when employers pay their workers a fair wage for the work done and when employees offer a fair day of work for the wages they are paid.

The Virtue of Justice in the Family

The first area of our life where we practice this virtue is in our closest circles – among our family, friends and co-workers. We exercise the virtue of commutative justice when

• We treat our spouse with honor
• Parents fulfill their duties to their children involving nurturing, educating and developing them
• Children fulfill their duty to honor their parents
• We put the good of our friends before our own
• We treat those around us with dignity
• We acknowledge the goodness, skills, and gifts of people in our lives

Can you see how the virtue of justice forms the foundation of our relationships? If we don’t treat our spouse with honor, how can we hope to grow in trust, intimacy, commitment, and self-sacrificing love? If we don’t fulfill our basic duties as parents and children, how can we hope to have family relationships that lead us to love and mature into familial friendship? If we aren’t willing to put the good of our friends before our own, how long will our friendships last? If we don’t treat people with dignity or acknowledge their goodness, how can we build a community or a friendship?

The Need to Strengthen the Virtue

Now, you may be telling yourself that you do all of these things already. But justice is a virtue. Virtues are like muscles. They may be there, but if you don’t work to build them they will wither and die. How can you grow in the virtue of justice? How can you take it to the next level? What would happen if you paid more attention to your closest relationships and gave them just a little more effort?

From the Abbey‘s online spirituality program focuses on growth in key spiritual virtues in five areas of lay spirituality, including the moral life. I invite you to consider the offer below to get more involved in From the Abbey.

Brought to you by Jeffrey S. Arrowood at From the Abbey, dedicated to helping you rediscover the JOY of learning and living your faith so you can grow in intimacy with God.