“This is what the LORD Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.’” Zechariah 7:9 NIV
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8 NIV
Are you an advocate for administering true justice with mercy and compassion? If so, where do you find the source for true justice, mercy, and compassion? There can only be one source, the creator God and His written word. The prophet Micah confirms this by saying ‘He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.’ (Mic.6:8 niv) Therefore by following the principles and guidelines found in Scripture we have a solid foundation to build upon in administering justice with mercy and compassion.
Every Christian is to be outspoken with the injustices committed in our society. Whether it is the neglect of the poor and homeless, or discrimination based on race, ethnicity, gender, or religion. Christians should be out front not only with calls for justice, but with the actions to back it up. The New Testament book of 1 John tells us, “If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” (3:17, 18 niv)
The key word in I John 3:18 is ‘truth.’ Our advocacy must be based on truth. The truth of God’s Word. There is a problem today for many Christians and it has made its way into many Christian churches. God’s justice (Biblical justice) is being intermingled with the world’s term of ‘social justice.’ They are not one and the same. It is true caring for the poor, the homeless, and standing against discrimination are tenets of “God’s justice’ as well as ‘social justice’, but not all the tenets of ‘social justice’ are tenets of ‘God’s justice.’
As Christians we are to be wise and discerning in what constitutes ‘social justice’ in our day. The cries of each injustice are to be examined in the light of Scripture to test and prove it is a Biblical principle that has been violated. It is to not contradict any other of God’s principles in Scripture when addressing it. If it passes the test then we are to be an advocate for the injustice by following what the Lord said in the book of Zechariah, “Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.” (Zech.7:9 niv)
Word for the Soul 