There are certain words that have always been favourites of mine that make me take immediate notice when I hear them. Words such as fear, vengeance, justice, and reckoning, are but a few. I gravitate towards old, antiquated words and I’ve always loved the word reckoning, for in it, there is such an ominous sense of justice and finality.

The dictionary defines the word ‘reckoning’ as a settlement of accounts or, an appraisal or judgment.

I’ve always had a very strong sense of justice being that I’m high in conscientiousness on the ‘Big Five’ trait scale (real justice, not the mealy-mouthed ‘social justice’ that so many advocate for in this day) and the word ‘reckoning’ has always meant to me that justice will be done in time; in a time of reckoning. I would venture a guess that almost all men everywhere have this same sense of justice and yearn for it to be done. Imagine standing in line at the grocery store and someone just pushes their cart in front of you in the checkout line. Now, some people will openly object and some may remain quiet; but everyone will feel like they have been wronged and immediately want some justice to be done in the situation. It is natural for us to feel this way when we’ve been wronged; it’s part of our human nature. We would immediately like to see a ‘reckoning’ come to that person who pushed their way past us; we desire to see them reckoned with and justice done.

I think it’s natural for men to want to see justice done and men who’ve wronged others brought to account for their actions. I think there is great appeal to the Christian doctrine of all men standing in judgment before God upon their death, the great and final reckoning of all, to receive the sentence for the evil committed at their hands. Even the Buddhist concept of Karma, has at it’s root, justice being done to those who act unjustly towards others. As much as many of us would like to see justice always come swiftly on earth, it is comforting for many to know that justice will be done, eventually. It is appalling to our natural sense of fairness that evil can, and does go unpunished; we want it, we long for it.

I find the word ‘reckoning’ a comforting word, a word that gives me a sense that even out of evil, some good may come; that justice will come out of injustice and things will ultimately be made right. We may never see it happen, but a reckoning will come. Even, for myself.