It is interesting how words evolve into having different meanings according to the culture. Equality is one of them. When a person studies math, it is easy to see it. Once the variables have been added, an equation is either true or false. How do you tell the difference? A true equation ends up equal on both sides of the equal sign. A false one ends with an imbalance. But you don’t know the answer until the variables such as x or y are filled in. The equal sign points to both sides.

When people are talking about equality, there is the impression that it means in a communist sense that everyone should have the same amount. This is only one side of the equation. But true equality means we have opportunity to access both sides of the equation. Justice is when both sides of a transaction are balanced, in the same way a true equation means both sides are equal. How do you find this out? By filling in the variables.

It is natural and right to want a good product for our money. When we hire someone, in order for the transaction to be just, the wages received and the work produced should be equal. Some of the variables in this are skills, competency and region. A drifter is worth less than a doctor. If there are too many doctors in an area, the value of the service may be less due to competition in the area. We can move, get an education and use good character to receive more compensation. A person who gets compensation for doing less is creating an injustice. It doesn’t matter how wealthy his neighbors are. Every person, in order to create equality, must put their skills and effort into the equation in order for any compensation to be just. Someone who doesn’t do this is creating an injustice since on one side there is compensation and the other there is little effort.

Some people just run into hard times; but hard times aren’t unjust unless a person is putting every effort into getting out. Tough times should motivate us to do better; improve character, education or location. If the lesson is ignored, it would follow that hard times will rightfully come. If we recognize this, it doesn’t mean we lack compassion but we are realistic enough to see what is at issue. To compensate poor performance, anywhere it is applied, will result in poor performance. If we encourage it, we become a part of the problem by ignoring the injustice. This causes resentment in both parties; the giver due to a lack of reward and the receiver who loses the ability to see his part in making the transaction just.