It has been a tumultuous year so far.
Impeachment & political tensions
COVID-19 & quarantine
Massive layoffs & economy concerns
Distance learning & uncertainty about the fall
Injustice & protests
As I write this, my blog won’t be published for another week or so. I always wonder what will be dominating the headlines then. We know that these concerns won’t just fade away, but new ones may be added. I do know this- I know that God cares about justice. He cares about wrongs being made right. I believe He grieves over the plight of black people in the US and everywhere. We can see examples in His word where He brings about justice.
*The Hebrew slaves being freed from Pharaoh
*Zaccheus repenting of the money he stole and offering to pay it back to the poor
*Jesus and the stoning of the woman caught in adultery
*Jesus in the temple when he tips over the money changers’ tables.
What is justice? dictionary.com defines it as: the quality of being just; righteousness, equitableness, or moral rightness.
When we see people being treated unfairly, we should want to see that righted. One of our problems is even seeing the injustice – recognizing it for what it is. Then being willing to do something about it, not excusing it away.
In these verses of Jeremiah 22:15-16, Jeremiah is contrasting King Josiah, who made good choices, with his son, Shallum, who made poor choices as a king.
15 “Does it make you a king
to have more and more cedar?
Did not your father have food and drink?
He did what was right and just,
so all went well with him.
16 He defended the cause of the poor and needy,
and so all went well.
Is that not what it means to know me?”
declares the LORD.“
I love this – “Is that not what it means to know me?”, “to defend the cause of the poor and needy”. Not just giving to the poor and needy, but defending as well!
In closing I challenge each one of us to pray and to seek God to ask Him to reveal the sin in our own hearts. Where are we harboring bias and tolerating injustice? I also encourage us all to act favorably on behalf of the oppressed, the poor, and the needy.
Micah 6:8
“He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
