Tag Archives: justice

How Can Student Ministry Respond to Slavery?

As I was reading today’s prayer page at the Operation World site, I am once again broken.  Operation World is a book/site/ministry that gives a different country to pray for each day.  Today, though, is for slavery.  This issue breaks my heart.  If you are not familiar with it, I encourage you to either go to the links I listed, and/or go to International Justice Mission to read about it.  This issue is one of the many that the church worldwide faces.

My question is, what can we do about it?  Especially student ministries?  How can we further organize students and families, educate them, and help them engage with this issue.  As a dad of two girls, this rips at my heart.

We are partnering with IJM to do an event this spring that is similar to a 30 Hour Famine, but focuses on this issue.  We’ve also used the Justice Mission curriculum, which is excellent.  What other ideas do you have, or have you seen?  How can we make a difference?

Please partner with me as we pray for this issue, and the issues tied to it.

 

How to Play Favorites with God and Win (new blog post)

Have you ever wondered what type of people make God smile?  Ok, I know, He doesn’t actually have a mouth, He is spirit, blah, blah, blah.  You know what I mean.  What type of person brings joy to God?  Who makes Him proud? 

Is it the person who memorizes the most Bible verses?  What about the person who can pray the longest without stopping?  Is it the person who can sing the best, with tears flowing down their cheeks, at a moment’s notice?  It must be that preacher who can make people laugh, cry, and then rededicate their lives to Jesus.  It’s gotta be someone off this list, right?

Maybe.  Maybe not.

Check out Psalms 15

1 Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary?
Who may live on your holy mountain?
2 Those whose walk is blameless,
who do what is righteous,
who speak the truth from their hearts;
3 who have no slander on their tongues,
who do their neighbors no wrong,
who cast no slur on others;
4 who despise those whose ways are vile
but honor whoever fears the Lord;
who keep their oaths even when it hurts;
5 who lend money to the poor without interest
and do not accept bribes against the innocent.
Whoever does these things
will never be shaken. 

Uhhh…..okay.

So, let’s look at this.  Who gets to hang out with God? Who is allowed to be with Him?  David is asking who does God enjoy being with?  Those whose walk is blameless and do what is righteous.  What does that actually mean?  He lists it out in the following verses.

1. Speak the truth.  Tell the truth to other people, and to yourself.
2. Have no slander.  Don’t put other people down by lying about them, or making them look bad.
3. Who do their neighbors no wrong.  Treat others well.
4. Cast no slur.  See #3.  It must be important if he hits it twice.
5. Despise those who are evil.  Be careful who you let influence you. 
6. Honor those who fear God.  Choose people who love Jesus to be your closest friends.
7. Lend money freely to the poor.  Be generous to anyone in need.
8. Don’t accept bribes.  Treat everyone the same.


So, what’s the pattern?  It all has to do with how we treat other people.  Who brings joy to God?  The people who love Him, and then show that love to others.  Not the talented, the most devoted, the most serious people.  Not the upfront performers, or the leaders of the group.  God is most excited about the people who treat others well, with fairness, generosity, kindness, and truth.


So, think about this week.  If you were to decide just based on this week, would you be in that crowd?  If not, why?  What needs to change?  Who do you need to treat better?


I thought it was pretty interesting to see that today when I read it.  What are your thoughts?

A Whole New Justice League

God is really big on justice.  In Deuteronomy 16, Moses is explaining the plan for the people, and winds down his speech with these words:

“19 Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.20 Follow justice and justice alone, so that you may live and possess the land the Lord your God is giving you.”

He throws out several commands in this one:
1. Do not pervert justice - Don’t cheat other people.  Don’t lie.  Don’t deceive others.  Justice happens at work, at school, at home, in our town, our nation, and globally.  Wherever you have a relationship, don’t pervert justice.  Be truthful, honest, live so that accusations can’t stick to you.

2. Do not show partiality - Don’t be impressed or afraid of anyone because of “who they are”.  Don’t let other people dictate how you live.  Live for God, not for other people.  Don’t show favoritism to one person at the expense of someone else, no matter what you may get from it.

3. Do not accept a bribe – Don’t let yourself be bought.  People try to buy us with fake friendships, with popularity, with dishonest praise, with acceptance/rejection, with fear, and all sorts of stuff.  Most of us aren’t bribed with cash by someone, but other people try to buy us off all the time.  Don’t fall for it.

4. Follow justice, and justice alone - Do what is right, because it is right.  Not because it’s easy, fun, convenient, simple, painless, or benefits us.  Do what is right, what is just, regardless of how big, scary, intimidating, powerful, rich, or strong the oppressor might be.  Do what is right.  Follow justice, and justice alone.

Which of these four is God pushing you to work on today?  For me, it’s number two.  How about you?

God (s) Rules!!

As I keep working through Leviticus and all of it’s lists of rules and guidelines, I hit chapter 19.  I love this chapter!  It’s still a list of rules, but it is easy to see the heart of God in this chapter, especially the first 18 verses.  Check it out:

The Lord said to Moses,

2 “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.
3 “ ‘Each of you must respect your mother and father, and you must observe my Sabbaths. I am the Lord your God.
4 “ ‘Do not turn to idols or make metal gods for yourselves. I am the Lord your God. 5 “ ‘When you sacrifice a fellowship offering to the Lord, sacrifice it in such a way that it will be accepted on your behalf.6 It shall be eaten on the day you sacrifice it or on the next day; anything left over until the third day must be burned up.7 If any of it is eaten on the third day, it is impure and will not be accepted.
8 Whoever eats it will be held responsible because they have desecrated what is holy to the Lord; they must be cut off from their people. 9 “ ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.
10 Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God.
11 “ ‘Do not steal.
“ ‘Do not lie.
“ ‘Do not deceive one another.
12 “ ‘Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the Lord.
13 “ ‘Do not defraud your neighbors or rob them.
“ ‘Do not hold back the wages of a hired worker overnight.
14 “ ‘Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the Lord.
15 “ ‘Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.
16 “ ‘Do not go about spreading slander among your people.
“ ‘Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the Lord.
17 “ ‘Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt.
18 “ ‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. 
Look at the issues of honesty, respect, kindness, generosity, and justice.  This is such a beautiful set of guidelines.  If I could simply strive to follow Him and live more like this everyday, my life would be full.  And it’s just 18 verses.  Which of these speak to you the clearest?  Which ones do you and I need to work on today?

Babylonians and Boyfriends


Back in Habakkuk today. The first few verses of chapter 1 hit me. While I’m not in this place right now, I can totally resonate with Habakkuk’s attitude towards God. Injustice is all around him, and God isn’t doing squat, it seems. I mean, He is the great protector, and we cry for help, and nothing. Just crickets chirping. You can feel Habakkuk’s frustration and anger.

What is God’s response? Is it full of hope and mercy? It seems like it in verse 5. Promises of amazing things that no one will believe.

But then He says He’s going to raise up the Babylonians. It’s like us praying, and God’s answer coming that He is going to raise up the Al-Qaida network to a world power. We pray for justice, and that’s the answer.

Ok, honestly, why does God do stuff like this? It really ticks me off sometimes. This answer is almost cruel. But then again, it’s only so when seen through our scope. God is going to raise them up to bring His people back to Him. Worship is the goal of God. He wants His kids close, that’s why He made the human race. To be in relationship with Him and be known by Him. When we dig in our heels, He will go to any length to get us back.

Spoke to a student yesterday who was dumped by her boyfriend. She felt like she had tried to do the relationship God’s way, by including prayer into it and putting Him in the center, yet it still fell apart. Why? Why is God being so unfair? The answer is almost always that what we want in a situation is off base, and it makes God seem unfair. God wants us. He will use any tool He can, whether it be the Babylonians, a 17 year old boy, or anything else.

I don’t know. I get all of this, but I don’t always like it. Good thing I’m not the one in charge, I guess.