Why is a blog about a bike ride so concerned with justice?
Fair question, if this is a blog about a bike ride. It’s not.
RICH’S RIDE isn’t about Rich and it isn’t about a ride. We’re about using the platform of handcycle rides to share a message of hope and God’s faithfulness. A piece of our mission has been to partner with organizations that offer compassion, justice, and hope by raising funds and awareness to support their work.
The thing is, it’s easy to advocate for women and children kidnapped into sexual slavery. Most everyone’s on the same side of that issue. But as I discussed yesterday (Define Justice), when we bring the discussion closer to home our lines become a bit less clear.
Jesus encountered the same problem. The establishment had created a system in which rules and laws tried to codify God’s principles.
“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. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.” (Matthew 23:23-24)
The Pharisees are often miscast as the villains of the Gospel story, and I think we misconstrue Jesus’ thoughts toward them. I believe He loved them and wanted desperately for them to see their mistakes, change their hearts, and use their influence to lead people toward God. If He didn’t eat with them, it was only because they wouldn’t have Him.
Every society needs rules to maintain order in a broken world. We ought to do our best to create the best possible system of laws and see that they’re applied equally and fairly.
But Jesus’ words to the Pharisees clearly state that a rule-based notion of justice falls short of God’s call. It’s about much more than following the rules, asserting my rights, maintaining the status quo, and clinging to power and control.
It’s about the courage and faith to discern, and do, what’s right.
Please leave a comment here.
