If there is one thing that the Lord has been teaching it is reveiling his heart to me as his cries for the socail injustices to be ripped apart, challenged, and restored into social justices and equality.
Today a man came to speak at our church for the Internation Justice Mission.
http://www.ijm.org/whoweare (Here's a link to there website.)
The whole time I wanted to jump and and say "Yes! This is the part of christainity that we forget regulary but what we are called too!
Justice.
Read through Isaiah, James, Amos..and so many others. It magnifies God's heart for the oppresed and for the "lesser off".
Injustices are brutal and violent.
We know God is love. Not just that he loves. But he IS love. Everything. All of him. All that he elludes is love. We can say John 3:16 backwards, forwards, and in gibberish. But do we realize the implications of that emmense Love? The implications of the story of how God came to earth? To die? To make a path for our bondage? To die for our bondage? To undo a social justice. Isn't that the story of salavation? Curing (If we allow him, and accept his forgiveness and continue to act on it) the salvary we are by default in to the most evil one. He can, in love, to rip that to pieces. He can for freedom.
Than continue reading to see his heart for the oppressed not just bringing us to salvation but to bind up the broken hearted, to feed the hungry, to break bondage.. to be WORLD CHANGERS AND SHAKERS! Because for some reason (simply: he is love, and he loved as only because he loved us) he longs for US to come to him and escape the power and control of evil.And he wants us to play a part in bringing others to Christ and to remove the hand of that power and control of evil.
Look at Isaiah 61:8. God loves JUSTICE.
Proverbs 17:15. He longs for it.
Doesn't God say let me will be done on earth just as it is in heaven? Doesn't that not imply that we must seek justice in this world?
I have heard some christians says that the gospel is not about social justice or humanitaries. I say shouldn't they go hand in hand. They have too. How else is the plan of God perfect and without fault?
In each miracle he not only heals but provides salvation. It never said.."Here come to know my father. Wow! Doesn't it suck that your a still blind?"
And if we encompass Christ we will long to provide for those who are classed as "underprivleged" by society.
Because LOVES longs to break barriers.
To heal hearts.
To put your live on the line for others.
And this is a love that does not ask who is deserving of it. I know I am undesearving of Christs love.
We cannot snuff social actions and social injustice off as just "good things" that good people do. They are not good things they are things, imporant things, that lead to transformation of culture, sharing of love, and letting the truth be known above evil.
This is what Christianity is. Action.
So what do we do with that? Social justice. All become little Mother Theresa and head to India?
Although some of us might it is not the calling placed on all of our lives. No matter what your geographical location there are powerful things that YOU can and need to be doing.
I urge you to let socail justice take a more activie role in your live and to keep me accountable in keeping it important in mine.
1. Explore truth. The truth about who Christ is. About how it affects his people whom he loves and begins to take steps in making that truth know and demostrated.
2. Over rule the power that is displayed in social injustices. As christians our most imporant and powerful tool is prayer. Make sure it happens. For as Leonard Ravenhill said.. a mans spritual live is only as big as how much time he spends on his knees.
3. Educate your self. On what is happening in this world. Here in Canada, North America, the World. We are to be globaled minded. We are one. And we need to look out and love our neighbours as our selves. Those neighbours next door or maybe those neighbours across the oceans and valleys.
Here are some organization making a different: Comment with some more :)
http://www.twloha.com/
http://love146.org/
http://www.compassion.ca/
http://www.ratanak.org/
And there are so many more!!!
How about renting a documentary this friday evening instead of seeing the next big blockbuster?
Because I can guarantee you that once you being to understand the horrific happens of this world you heart will be turned and it will long for change.
4. Stick up for people. was gently reminded today during the sermons. That is what Christains do. It could be at the gym, school, or not laughing at a racist or hurtful joke. It could be the effort to avoid words like "gay" or "retarded" because they put down and hurt individuals labeling them as dumb, stupid, or not worthwhile. Stick up for people.That is what we do.
5. Or maybe it's not sticking up for people... maybe it's making a new friend too. That person who socialy who doesn't fit in. At church. Where ever. Socail injustices don't just have to be those in slavary or be little children in africa. In Canada alone there are more sucides than homicides. What does that say? Would there be if we were truly friends who loved? More suicides... That is an injustice!! That is a painful, hurtful, horrific injustice. Change it. Make a new friend. Be a good friend. Keep that good friend and let them know they are loved. It may not be looked at as so noble. Heck, you may even be labeled as "something" for going and taking with someone who may not be so "cool". Cool! Really! Give it up.. Lives are not worth being cool.
6. Remember the vaule of one. If it is one donation to an organization, one compassion child being donated to, or one time that you can educate yourself so that you can educate others. Big or small remember that impacting one is enough.
"If I look at the mass, I will never act. If I look at one I will." - Mother Thersea
7. Don't forget about prayer. Make it happen. Right it down. Post it somewhere. It is the most imporant. And yes I put it on my lisit twice because THAT is how important it is.
For the indivdivual.
For change.
For the people making change.
8. Be encouraged by the FINAL justice when all comes to an end. He will restore justice on earth (Rev. 19:11-16) but untill than let us be actively showing God's love that will evitably become bringing His heaven to earth and letting His will be down here and as we depise and change barriers of evils or social injustice to social justices we will show and greater love than every imagined.
Will this is kinda sorta and summary of what was said in church this morning with my own twists and personal learning. Social Justice? What do you think? What are you doing about it? How does it affect your live?
Or maybe God is teaching you something TOTALY different.
Either way. I woud love it hear it.
Thank-you for putting up for my whirl winded thoughts. :)
