We frequently hear calls to respect “the rule of law”. This is often tied to the statements that we are “a nation of laws and not of men.” And that “no man is above the law.”

Of course, nowadays we update these proverbs by using gender inclusive words: “we are a nation of laws and not of persons” and “no one is above the law.”

In addition, I want to insert the word “wise” into these proverbs: “the rule of wise laws”; “we are a nation of wise laws and not of persons”; and “no one is above wise laws”.

Otherwise, we risk having people forget that no law or person is above God—and that the fear of the LORD is the beginning of Wisdom. (Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 9:10).

As with any proverb, there are many insights and applications from the proverb that “we are a nation of wise laws and not of persons.”

Among these insights is the realization that we create lives and civilizations that are good—that are very good—through the ideals of the Law of Moses and of the Prophets that wield the light of order to overcome the darkness of chaos. (Genesis Chapter One).

Among these insights is the realization that we use Wisdom to wield wise laws to create lives and civilizations that are good—that are very good—through implementing the ideals that are fulfilled in the Way of Jesus. (Matthew 5:17; 7:24-8:4; 28:18-20).

How do we use Wisdom to wield wise laws to create lives and civilizations that are good—that are very good?

By wielding wise laws in the Way of Jesus who overcomes darkness with light (John 1:1-5,9-14; Genesis Chapter One).

By wielding wise laws in the Way of Jesus so that ALL people may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:7-10).

By wielding wise laws in ways so that ALL people receive the “equal protection of the laws”.

For example, Jesus shamed the men who wanted to stone a woman for adultery, but who did not impose the same penalty on the man (as provided for by the Law of Moses). (John 8:2-11).

Jesus shamed these men by insisting on “equal protection of the laws” to protect women.

It is uncertain what Jesus wrote on the ground to persuade the men not to stone the woman. (John 8:6-9).

My best guess is that Jesus was quoting the Law of Moses that required equal punishment of men and women for adultery. (Leviticus 20:10). No wonder that the men walked away when Jesus asked which of these men was without sin so that he could throw the first stone at this woman!

I think that Jesus began by quoting the text of the applicable Law of Moses because, as a lawyer, I always begin my analysis of all the relevant facts and circumstances by quoting the applicable laws, regulations, and judicial opinions. If there are no applicable laws, regulations, or judicial opinions, I begin my analysis by considering sources of Wisdom such as the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, the ideals of the Law of Moses and of the Prophets, and the Way of Jesus.

These sources of Wisdom confirm that “equal protection of the laws” is an indispensable principle and an invaluable tool to create lives and civilizations that are good, that are very good.

“Equal protection of the laws” prevents double standards that overlook violence and force against people who are “the least of the least” in order to increase the power and wealth of those who wield the Power of Money, the Power of Religion, and the Power of the Kingdoms of the World.

For example, by insisting on “equal protection of the laws” for women taken in adultery, the Law of Moses and the Way of Jesus protect women from harsh, brutal misinterpretations and misapplications of the Law of Moses and the Way of Jesus by men.

Furthermore, a key provision of the United States Constitution is the Fourteenth Amendment. This Amendment was added to the United States Constitution after the Civil War in order to provide for “equal protection of the laws” for ALL people, especially for the recently freed slaves—the “least of the least”.

In his Gettysburg Address, Abraham Lincoln proclaimed that the Civil War was being fought to save the last best hope of Humanity—government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

The rule of wise laws secures government of the people, by the people, and for the people because wise laws are not for some persons, but for ALL the people!

We should be a nation of wise laws that secure Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness for ALL the people rather than a nation of persons who use laws and customs to oppress or impoverish other people.

Therefore, wise laws must prevent people from wielding the Power of Money, the Power of Religion, and the Power of the Kingdoms of the World in ways that oppress and impoverish people who are unable to protect and nurture themselves.

To illustrate this maxim with an example from real life, “equal protection of the laws” is essential if a brother and sister are going to divide a piece of cake equitably.

If the brother cuts the piece of cake and chooses which piece of cake he will eat, the brother is likely to eat a piece of cake that is much better than the piece of cake that his sister gets to eat—both in size and in how thick the frosting is!

But if there is “equal protection of the laws” one sibling will cut the cake and the other child will pick their piece of cake. Such wise procedures ensure fairness—at least unless the sibling with the knife wields it with violence and force to steal both pieces of cake!

In a civilization that is good, the equal protection of wise laws must keep the Powers of Money, Religion and Kingdoms from dividing money and power inequitably—especially from wielding “knives” that use violence and force to steal money and power.

In a civilization that is good, wise laws must ensure equal protection of the laws to “the least of the least” equivalent to the protection that wise laws provide to those who wield the Powers of Money, Religion, and Kingdoms.

In this way, and in many other ways, wise laws must protect and nurture people who are unable to protect and nurture themselves—people who are “the least of the least”.

We are all equal in the eyes of wise laws.

Nevertheless, in the dairy cooperative where I was the Chief Legal Officer for over 30 years, we had to explain to some unhappy dairy farmer members that, in order to treat people equitably, we sometimes needed to treat people differently (after making adjustments that took into account all of the relevant facts and circumstances).

For example, it was most equitable to allocate some costs based on the amount of milk produced at a farm, instead of allocating an equal cost to each farm without taking into account how big or small the farm was. In such facts and circumstances, equal became inequitable.

The same principle applies when we try in good faith to treat people, communities of wisdom, families, businesses, nations, and civilizations equitably. Sometimes we must adjust our laws and customs to account for all of the relevant facts and circumstances. Otherwise, equal becomes inequitable.

To illustrate this self-evident truth, think about the rules for a game of Monopoly.

If everyone starts out with an equal amount of money, an equal opportunity to buy and sell properties, and if players treat each other fairly (for example, when deciding who to buy and sell properties with and what the prices will be), then the rules will be equitable and the outcomes will be equitable.

But in the real world, players start the “game” with vastly different amounts of money. Indeed, some players start the game already owning most, if not all, of the properties.

Furthermore, some players will not buy and sell properties (or at least won’t buy and sell at equitable prices) with other players who they dislike because of reasons such as their race, gender, socio-economic status, religion, or nationality.

Moreover, many players are likely to only buy and sell properties at equitable prices with other players who share their race, gender, socio-economic status, religion, or nationality.

Hopefully, the player does not dislike these people from other races, genders, socio-economic statuses, religions, or nationalities. Instead, this problem may arise because the player knows few—if any—such people.

Why?

Because past and present systems disadvantaged people from that race, gender, socio-economic status, religion, or nationality.

Therefore, the player’s “network” of friends and colleagues includes few—if any—people from communities of wisdom, families, businesses, nations, and civilizations that include people of that race, gender, socio-economic status, religion, or nationality.

This is the kind of person who sincerely—or hypocritically—believes they are not a racist, a bigot, or a snob.

Nevertheless, this person acts—or fails to act—in ways that perpetuate racism, bigotry, and snobbery.

This person refuses to hear and understand, see and perceive, that they are unfairly privileged by past and present systems of racism, bigotry, and snobbishness that perpetuate racism, bigotry and snobbery.

If you wonder whether Jesus is against such systems of racism, bigotry and snobbery, just take a look at the story of his conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4:1-42.

This woman was a member of the “wrong” race and nationality.

She was extremely low in social status. Not only was she a woman in a culture that treated women poorly. Apparently, even the other women in town wouldn’t come to the well with her!

Furthermore, in a culture where the socio-economic status of most women depended on the family she was born into and the family into which she married, this woman had been divorced five times by her husbands and the man she was currently with had not even bothered to marry her. (John 4:16-18; in that culture, only men could procure a divorce (Matthew 19:8-10)).

Nevertheless, Jesus wanted to give this despised and rejected woman “living water” that would become in her “a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:13).

Furthermore, Jesus wanted to worship the Father with this despised and rejected woman “in the Spirit and in truth”. (John 4:23-24).

In contrast, Jesus scolded Nicodemus, a wealthy man who was a member of a ruling council composed solely of rich, powerful, well-educated religious leaders. (John 3:1-21).

Why did Jesus scold him?

Because Nicodemus himself needed to be born again by being filled by—being baptized by—the Spirit of God. (John 4:3-7; John 1:33).

Because Nicodemus himself needed to be filled by—be baptized by—the Spirit of God that is like the wind, blowing wherever it pleases. (John 4:8; John 1:33).

We cannot tell where the Spirit of God is coming from or where the Spirit of God is going.

Nevertheless, we can hear the sound of the Spirit of God.

Where?

Blowing on every person, community of wisdom, family, business, nation, and civilization!

Even on the despised and rejected Samaritan woman at the well!

Even on the least of the least!

We can hear the Spirit of God telling every person, community of wisdom, family, business, nation, and civilization to end violence, curtail force, and embrace peace. (Galatians 5:22-23).

The Law of Moses and the Prophets express this ideal of protecting and nurturing the poor and the weak by insisting that widows, orphans, and foreigners must be protected and nurtured.

For example, the Law of Moses commanded:

“Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless.” (Exodus 22:22).

“Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were a foreigner in Egypt.” (Exodus 22:21).

 

The Prophet Isaiah commanded:

“Learn to do right; seek justice.

   Defend the oppressed.

Take up the cause of the fatherless;

   plead the case of the widow.” (Isaiah 1:17).

 

The story of Ruth captures all of these ideals.

Ruth was a foreigner—a Moabite. She was a widow.

Nevertheless, the Law of Moses protected and nurtured this poor widow and foreigner.

For example, the Law of Moses provided “safety nets” for Ruth. She could gather food so she didn’t starve. (Ruth 2:2-3; Leviticus 19:9-10; 23:22).

In addition to such “safety nets”, the Law of Moses provided “ladders” for Ruth to become a respected citizen of Israel. Indeed, she became the great-grandmother of King David. (Ruth 1:3-19; 2:2-3; 4:13-17). And, therefore, she became a human ancestor of Jesus himself! (Matthew 1:5).

To fulfill these ideals of the Law of Moses and of the Prophets (Matthew 5:17), Jesus commended those who:

     —help hungry people by giving them something to eat;

     —help thirsty people by giving them something to drink;

     —help homeless strangers by inviting them in;

     —help ill-clad people by giving them clothes;

     —help sick people by looking after them; and

     —help imprisoned people by visiting them. (Matthew 25:34-36).

Why?

Because whatever they did “for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, [they] did for me.” (Matthew 25:40).

In contrast, Jesus condemned those who:

     —see hungry people and give them nothing to eat;

     —see thirsty people and give them nothing to drink;

     —see homeless strangers and do not invite them in;

     —see ill-clad people and do not give them clothes;

     —see sick people and do not look after them; and

     —see imprisoned people and do not look after them. (Matthew 25:41-43).

Why?

Because whatever they “did not do for one of the least of these, [they] did not do for me” (Matthew 25:45).

Although in the 25th Chapter of Matthew, Jesus is explicitly commending and condemning nations, based on how they treat hungry people, thirsty people, homeless strangers, ill-clad people, sick people, and imprisoned people, it is reasonable to conclude that Jesus also commends and condemns individuals, communities of wisdom, families, businesses, and entire civilizations based on how they treat hungry people, thirsty people, homeless strangers, ill-clad people, sick people, and imprisoned people. (Matthew 7:12,24-27; Luke 6:31; 16:19-31).

This command to protect and nurture “the least of the least” and to provide the equal protection of laws and customs to those who are oppressed and exploited, undergirds my Vision of America—the ideal America first discovered in the hearts of Abraham, Moses and Jesus.

In this ideal America, we are

   —blessing ALL people;

   —challenging ALL pharaohs to let ALL people go free; and

   —healing ALL hurting people.

In this ideal America, we are replacing civilizations of the pharaohs, by the pharaohs, and for the pharaohs, with civilizations of ALL the people, by ALL the people, and for ALL the People!

In this ideal America, every person, community of wisdom, family, business, nation, and civilization will end violence, curtail force, and embrace peace.

God bless America!

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For additional thoughts about ending violence, curtailing the use of force, and embracing peace, please read my blogs “Ending Violence: Putting Faces With Names”, “Ending Violence: Embracing the Spirit of Peace”, “Curtailing Force: Replacing Nails With Glue”, “Curtailing Force: Reason, Facts and Wisdom”, and “Curtailing Force: The Rule of Wise Laws”.

For additional thoughts about equal protection of the laws and fair procedures, please read the Appendices titled “‘Fair’ Procedures?” and “Civilization vs. People Seeking Their Self Interest” in my book The Promised Land, at pages 202-205.

For additional thoughts about the need to help “the least of the least” please read my blogs “St. Francis of Assisi Made the Way of Jesus Great Again” and “St. Francis of Assisi’s Vision of the Nativity”; and please read the chapter “Relying on the Lunar Module “ in my book Visions of the Church (published together with my book Visions of America), at pages 181-185.

The chapter about St. Francis of Assisi refers to the Lunar Module because I use the flawed—yet triumphant—flight of Apollo 13 as my narrative thread to give an overview of 2,000 years of Church history in only 60 pages.