Last night I was leading a class at our church on the topic of missions. We talked about how Jesus really did three things while he was on this earth. I borrowed the categories from Richard Stearns' book Unfinished. Stearns labels the three things as Proclamation, Compassion, and Justice (p.166). Last night we were talking about justice and because of one of our members we hit on a topic there that I haven't really talked about in the pulpit, but have experienced in life. That aspect was the idea of standing with someone for justice, even if justice as we see it would not prevail. In the conversation it was easy to confuse and entangle human's idea of justice and God's idea of Justice. In America we depend on our laws and justice system and the ideal that all are innocent until proven guilty. But talk to someone who has been wrongly accused, convicted, and sentenced and you will know that ideal is sometimes, if not many times, not reached. I've seen this first hand in a court of law. I have watched friends be accused of homosexuality, racism, slander, gossip, greed, and many other things that end up being difficult to defend. And what I said last night and believe with all my heart is that the call of the Christian is to stand with those that we believe to be innocent and be their strength when they are weak. I have stood by a dad who was wrong accused, convicted, and incarcerated. I have stood by a friend who was accused of being gay. I have stood by a student in my ministry who was being accused of sexually assaulting his brothers and sisters. I have stood by some girls in my ministry who lost their mother suddenly and had no place to go. I have stood by a drug addict who has been accused of relapse when he was still sober. When these injustices occur in life you need someone to stand with you. And my concern is that Christians are sometimes the last ones to stand with those being accused, oppressed, or marginalized.
Another observation that I made during our conversation last night is that sometimes churches and Christians can be so consumed with the global picture of injustice that we forget to stand with our own members. That is for many reasons I guess. The social injustices around the world seem to be great atrocities than those in our own backyard. The problem of sex slavery and genocide are affecting thousands and is in need of immediate attention. I did not minimalize the need of global social justice last night and I won't do that today. I just reminded myself and those I pastor that we need both/and not either/or. We need balance.
One of the problems I see is that we would rather throw money at the issues, than be present in them ourselves. No doubt fighting genocide and taking care of 3 recent orphans is going to take some money, but there needs to be something more in the mix...our hearts and presence. And as we were talking about missions originally in the conversation last night I made the point that we tend to treat missions the same way. We tend to hire people to go do missions, just like we hire people to do ministry here in the states. We have turned in our Priesthood of All Believers card and taken up our Financiers for All Ministry card. Everyone is gifted in different ways, and those in ministry and missions certainly need people to finance their ministries and financially support their living. However, everyone is responsible for continuing to bring the kingdom to earth through sharing what Christ has done, is doing, and can/will do!
The greatest injustice is that we who are still sinners are constantly being redeemed and found worthy to speak the name of Christ and one day when he returns will enjoy his great inheritance. Jesus suffered at the hands of great injustice too and yet God's will still was done.
The greatest injustice ever known on Earth came on a Friday with a cross.
The greatest injustice ever known in Heaven came on a Sunday with an empty tomb.
So while, we suffer through the injustices of the world, it is God making unjust things just that will bring us to Him in eternity.
Another observation that I made during our conversation last night is that sometimes churches and Christians can be so consumed with the global picture of injustice that we forget to stand with our own members. That is for many reasons I guess. The social injustices around the world seem to be great atrocities than those in our own backyard. The problem of sex slavery and genocide are affecting thousands and is in need of immediate attention. I did not minimalize the need of global social justice last night and I won't do that today. I just reminded myself and those I pastor that we need both/and not either/or. We need balance.
One of the problems I see is that we would rather throw money at the issues, than be present in them ourselves. No doubt fighting genocide and taking care of 3 recent orphans is going to take some money, but there needs to be something more in the mix...our hearts and presence. And as we were talking about missions originally in the conversation last night I made the point that we tend to treat missions the same way. We tend to hire people to go do missions, just like we hire people to do ministry here in the states. We have turned in our Priesthood of All Believers card and taken up our Financiers for All Ministry card. Everyone is gifted in different ways, and those in ministry and missions certainly need people to finance their ministries and financially support their living. However, everyone is responsible for continuing to bring the kingdom to earth through sharing what Christ has done, is doing, and can/will do!
The greatest injustice is that we who are still sinners are constantly being redeemed and found worthy to speak the name of Christ and one day when he returns will enjoy his great inheritance. Jesus suffered at the hands of great injustice too and yet God's will still was done.
The greatest injustice ever known on Earth came on a Friday with a cross.
The greatest injustice ever known in Heaven came on a Sunday with an empty tomb.
So while, we suffer through the injustices of the world, it is God making unjust things just that will bring us to Him in eternity.
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