While I was growing up my older brother would occasionally do things to make me really angry. My response? Well, I just stuck my fingers in my ears and starting humming. There were some things I just didn’t want to hear from him and so I refused to listen. I don’t do that anymore but sometimes I’m certainly tempted to simply not listen, not pay attention. Because paying attention, learning, and knowing also require a response on my part. As a result of being in the Youth Department the last four years I’ve learned a lot of things about justice (rather injustice) that I may not have known otherwise and that require a response from me. Consequently I’ve given money to organizations that serve the oppressed, I’ve tried to be a more conscientious consumer, I recycle and have a compost pile, I eat less meat and choose more carefully the meat that I do eat (well, most of the time!), etc.
But for all those choices I make that I hope are ethical and will certainly be good for people and the environment (both of which are God’s creation!) I also realize that there are situations that I cannot change and where my support is important for the employee who needs that income to survive, or the person who has no “healthy choices” in their neighborhood, for the person who is victimized by others’ greed but still needs to support a family. So what is the godly choice in all of this?
First of all I am encouraged that God is just. James 5 gives a warning to “rich oppressors”. In fact the whole book focuses on the way we should live and that God will deal with those who don’t live that way. James 2:13 (NIV) tells me, “…judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful…” So while I hope I will always be greatly concerned about the injustice that exists in this world and that concern will motivate me to action – I must always remember that mercy trumps judgment. And should I ever be in doubt what the right thing is – God’s Word reminds me: Go light on judgment – go strong on mercy.
Youth Department