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
(Tim Keller) When I was professor at a theological seminary in the mid-eighties, one of my students was a young man named Mark Gornik. One day we were standing at the copier and he told me that he was about to move into Sandtown, one of the poorest and most dangerous neighborhoods in Baltimore. I remember being quite surprised. When I asked him why, he said simply, “To do justice.”
It had been decades since any white people had moved into Sandtown. For the first couple of years, it was touch and go. Mark told a reporter, “The police thought I was a drug dealer, and the drug dealers thought I was a police officer. So, for a while, I didn’t know who was going to shoot me first.” Yet over the years Mark, along with leaders in the community, established a church and a comprehensive set of ministries that have slowly transformed the neighborhood.
Although Mark was living a comfortable, safe life, he became concerned about the most vulnerable, poor and marginalized members of our society, and made long-term personal sacrifices in order to serve their interests, needs and cause.
That is, according to the Bible, what it means to “do justice.”
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FRONT RANGE FREEDOM TOUR ’14 is heading down the road.
As we ride, I’m sharing our team devotionals with you. I hope you’re enjoying the ride.
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments. And of course I hope you’ll follow the ride by jumping over to the RICH’S RIDE blog.
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Among other things, we’re on a mission trip, riding bikes to advocate for social justice. This isn’t about feeling good—we’re following a biblical mandate.
Scripture talks about two kinds of justice.
Mishpat is “restorative” justice. It’s setting things right—caring for victims (poor, widows, immigrants, orphans) as well as punishing wrongdoers.
Tzadeqah is living in right relationships, as God intended, in the first place.
Tim Keller says “social justice” unites these concepts. Social justice involves living in right relationships (tzadeqah) as well as setting things right (mishpat) by defending and caring for victims.
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. Matthew 22:23
How is “living in right relationship” an act of justice?
How does Jesus’ statement “…should have practiced the latter” relate to justice?
What are some misguided ideas our society has about justice?
Does justice always involve sacrifice?
Please leave a comment here.
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