Exploring the Heart of Justice

In this post I reflected on a Biblical concept in light of the health crisis occurring at the time. That has resolved, but the ideas are still pertinent as our world faces new challenges that need just solutions. It highlights the importance of justice in decision-making, referencing a podcast outlining three types of justice. Additionally, it explores connections between righteousness and justice in the Bible, emphasizing the need for just behavior amidst crisis.

updated January 29, 2025

I wrote this post almost 5 years ago during a crisis I think most of us have forgotten. But there is always a new crisis to replace the last one.

I think the lessons I tried to convey in this post can be generalized to other situations, not just the one then, the COVID-19 pandemic. Read it with that in mind. Now to the original post from 2020.

We’re experiencing two pandemics; the medical one causing illness, suffering and death due to a ravaging disease and the economic one causing financial hardship, food insecurity, and job loss due to a devastated economy.

Families and businesses are making hard choices, choices in which fairness is important but difficult to achieve. I listened to a podcast (link below) that addressed this as a matter of justice, which I found worth thinking more about.

What is justice?

In the podcast, Dr. Celine Grounder interviewed Adam Grant, a psychologist and professor. She asked him what makes for a good leader in the kind of crisis we’re experiencing now. He replied the best companies and their leaders base decisions on justice and he described 3 types of justice.

  • distributive justice- making choices that lead to fair outcomes
  • procedural justice-making decisions through a fair and unbiased process
  • interpersonal justice-making decisions in a way that treats people with respect, dignity, and compassion

Understanding Biblical Justice

This idea caught my attention because I made an insight recently while reading the part of the Bible known as the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew chapters 5 through 7 include some of the Bible’s most well-known passages, some you may not realize are biblical. Have you ever heard these phrases?

  • eye for an eye
  • turn the other cheek
  • go the extra mile
  • the Golden Rule
  • pearls before swine

These phrases from the Sermon are attributed to Jesus and may not have been from a single sermon; the lessons it teaches may have been given at different times, the book Luke, contains some of the same messages.

In the Sermon as in other New Testament scenes, Jesus taught his followers how they should live their lives and one word he uses several times is “righteousness”.

a ceramic cross with the Beatitudes Matthew 5:3-10

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Matthew 5:6, NIV

Righteousness sounds overtly religious, living bound by strict laws, emphasizing rule keeping, striving for perfection. As Richard Foster wrote, righteousness can consist of “control over externals, often including the manipulation of others.” (from Celebration of Discipline )

So I was surprised that one version, the New Living Translation (NLT), uses a different word for righteousness-justice.

God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied.

Matthew 5:6, NLT

Several other Bible verses suggest righteousness and justice are two aspects of the same concept.

  • The Lord loves righteousness and justice;the earth is full of his unfailing love. Psalm 33:5, NIV
  • The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. Psalm 103:6, NIV
  •  But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!   Amos 5:24, NIV

Reverend Erin Clifford explains both Old and New Testament Biblical justice in this short video.

Reflecting on these and other scriptures in I Am With You author Ann Spangler wrote this

“Righteousness is a Biblical word that means being in a right relationship with God, and with others. Injustice fractures and destroys relationships….

righteousness is “primarily a relationship, never an attainment; a direction, a loyalty, a commitment, a hope-and only someday an arrival” (quoting Addison Leitch)

social graphic from the LIGHTSTOCK.COM collection, an affiliate site

Practicing Justice

Farther in the Sermon Jesus tells the people to

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

Matthew 6:33, NLT

This suggests that living justly isn’t merely thinking about justice, but behaving in a just manner, perhaps like the interpersonal justice Mr. Grant describes in the podcast.

some other thoughts on the Sermon on the Mount

Matthew 5:6 is from part of the Sermon known as the Beatitudes. learn more about it here

How to be blessed, happy, and healthy

And in the rest of the Sermon, Jesus goes on to describe some other criteria for living a righteous or just life. I’ll explore that further in another post.

Here is a link to the podcast if you’d like to listen.

EPIDEMIC- Good and Bad Bosses

“EPIDEMIC is a twice-weekly podcast on public health and the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19).  Hosted by Dr. Celine Gounder, an infectious disease specialist and epidemiologist who has worked on tuberculosis and HIV in sub-Saharan Africa, and was an Ebola worker during the West African epidemic. And co-hosted by Ron Klain, the U.S. Ebola czar from 2014 to 2015.”

The COVID-19 pandemic may well be the defining moment of our times. Our lives have changed irrevocably. We need to understand the science so we can care for ourselves, our families, and our communities. And we need voices of reason to help us make sense of it all.

EPIDEMIC

In this episode, Dr. Celine Gounder talks to Adam Grant, a professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. They discuss

  • work during a pandemic and which companies are taking considerations to continue to take care of their employees, and which companies aren’t.
  • what good leadership during a crisis really looks like, and whether the COVID-19 pandemic may change the kinds of benefits that employers offer their employees.
  • how companies can improve their work-from-home culture, as well as how the pandemic may change people’s work-life/home-life balance permanently. 

Exploring the HEART of Health

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Why Walking is the Best Exercise for Heart Health

In today’s world, managing stress is crucial. Regular physical activity, like walking, plays a key role in mental well-being. Walking is easy, safe, low-cost, and suitable for all ages, improving heart health. Incorporating it into daily routines enhances fitness and reduces anxiety, promoting a healthier lifestyle for everyone.

updated September 21, 2025

I published this post during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, in 2025 we have new stressors to deal with. Fortunately, stress managementt techniques work in many different situations, like regular physical activity.

Coping with stress by walking

We’re all struggling to cope with the stress of upended lives, risk of a new and menacing illness, economic instability, and an unpredictable future. Most of us are actively pursuing ways to take care of our bodies and minds so the stress doesn’t overwhelm us.

The Mayo Clinic reminds us that physical activity is one key way to do that.

Regular physical activity and exercise can help reduce anxiety and improve mood. Find an activity that includes movement, such as dance or exercise apps. Get outside, such as a nature trail or your own backyard.

Let’s go walking

I’ve had to adjust my activity routine since my dance studio is closed, as well as the recreation center, which I had just joined prior to the physical distancing protocol started.

I already liked to walk, so I have increased that to almost daily. I have a treadmill that I can use when the weather is not so nice, but I prefer to walk outside.

So in this post I’m going to share some photos from my walking journeys with reminders about the benefits of walking.

a walking trail at a park, sign advised social distancing
Multiple signs at the park reminded us to stay 6 feet apart, and everyone did.

Walking may be the best exercise

The best type of exercise is one that you will do regularly. Walking is considered one of the best choices because it’s easy, safe, and inexpensive.

Brisk walking can burn as many calories as running, but it is less likely to cause injuries than running or jogging. Walking doesn’t require training or special equipment, except for appropriate shoes.

feet in walking shoes, crossed on a bench

Walking is an aerobic and weight-bearing exercise, which is beneficial for your heart and helps prevent osteoporosis.

I like Skechers for walking. My husband is a fan of Hoka.

Whatever brand you wear, choose one that fits well and is comfortable; wear good socks to help prevent blisters.

Read more about taking care of your heart at this previous post.

Walking for Heart Health

7 Keys to a Healthy Heart

February is American Heart Month, highlighting heart health amidst Valentine’s Day. In this post I outline seven major types of heart diseases and risk factors such as smoking and hypertension. Recognizing heart problem symptoms is crucial. Maintaining heart health involves addressing risk factors with healthy lifestyle choices. Share this vital information.

Keep reading

Don’t stop walking

As we get older we may be tempted to walk less. But movement becomes even more import with advanced age.

People age 65 and older should get at least 2.5 hours of moderate aerobic exercise (such as brisk walking) every week. That averages out to about 30 minutes on most days of the week. 

a bright blue wood rocking chair on a porch
This rocker looked inviting but I kept walking.

Low-impact activities such as walking, biking, or swimming generally go easy on your joints.

handlebars of a bicycle, and iris flowers
Dr Aletha in her bicycle helmet

One day I biked instead of walked; a little harder to take photos though.

How to include physical activity in your daily routine.

  • Park the car farther away at work or stores.
  • Get off the bus one stop earlier and walk the rest of the way.
  • Walk to do errands.
a USPS truck parked on a street
The mail carrier was also out walking, part of his daily routine for sure.

Get going and keep going

Everyone can benefit from physical activity. For most people, it is possible to begin exercising on your own at a slow pace.

If you have never exercised before, start with a 10-minute period of light exercise. A brisk walk every day is a good first exercise.

Slowly increase how hard you exercise and for how long.

You can walk outdoors, at home on a treadmill, alone, or with friends and family.

Make it fun. Listen to music or books on tape while you walk or jog. Watch TV or a video while you exercise.

a geometric cat chalked on a sidewalk
chalk rainbow drawn on a sidewalk
a tiger face drawn with chalk on a sidewalk

The HEART of walking

Aerobic exercise causes you to breathe more deeply. It makes your heart work harder to pump blood. Aerobic exercise also raises your heart rate (which burns calories).

Examples of aerobic exercise include walking, jogging, running, dancing, swimming, and bicycling.

a bush with bright red blooms, shaped like a heart
I posted this photo on Facebook and someone commented that it is shaped like a heart. What do you think?
a sign says"never climb on goals"

This sign was on the fence at a soccer field, where it’s good advice.

But in life, I think if we “climb on our goals”, we’ll be more likely to reach them

Sometimes “goals” do fall over, hopefully not causing serious injury or death, but disappointment and discouragement.

If your goals fail, climb back and try again. Just not on the soccer field, please.

Coach’s Corner: Evaluate your fitness goals

As you consider your fitness, where are you compared to where you want to be?

What is keeping you from the fitness level you need and want?

What do you need to do to get you to the next level? When will you start?

Visit FamilyDoctor.org

The fitness advice in this post was taken from FamilyDoctor.org, the patient information site sponsored by the American Academy of Family Physicians, of which I am a member. Please visit the site for more advice about exercise, fitness, and other health concerns.

Exploring the HEART of fitness

I’d love for you to follow this blog. I share information and inspiration to help you transform challenges into opportunities for learning and growth.

Add your name to the subscribe box to be notified of new posts by email. Click the link to read the post and browse other content. It’s that simple. No spam.

I enjoy seeing who is new to Watercress Words. When you subscribe, I will visit your blog or website. Thanks and see you next time.

Dr. Aletha