Deep Justice in a Broken World

Recently, I've read Deep Justice in a Broken World. I've had my Taylor students working though it. Of course, I'm learning more from teaching it than they are. They are brilliant, I'm not. So, I have more to learn.

The core idea of this beast is that there are three levels of service. The first is physical, and it like giving food out at a food pantry. Excellent ministry, and one of my favorite service opportunities at our church! The second level is relational. This is more of befriending the folks who are hungry, and helping them learn to grow their own garden. You hang with them in the training time, and then stay with them afterwards. I am not nearly as good at this level. The third level is systemic, and this is the farthest from my current lifestyle. This is asking why the people are hungry to begin with, and then doing the long term work to fix the systems around them. Political, social, anthropological, etc. It's working to find what are the reasons working men and women still can't feed their kids? What is taking their money, and how do we help rectify that situation?

The book challenges that all three are the realm of a solid, Biblical youth ministry. Man, that hurts. We are barely scraping 1/3 of that calling. So, I'm looking at it and praying about it. I want to dismiss the whole thing as socialism run amok, and unrealistic for kids. But, I know better. We are called to defend the poor, the widow, and the oppressed. You can only help the oppressed by resolving the oppression. So it is with this that I am wrestling.

What does this look like in Shelbyville? What do we need to meet physically, then emotionally, and then systematically? We have a growing homeless population. I know we must do something. So we are. We will start with what we know, and trust that as we seek, ask, study, and look, God will show us the next piece.

What about you? Your ministry? What will you do?

The List

Reading John 14:15-31, I can not imagine how the disciples would have felt hearing this. Jesus is leaving them. He makes it clear. He's gonna send help, and God is going to be with them. But Jesus is leaving. And His main point is to do what He has told them. What has He told them at this point? Love God, love others, don't fall into the systems around them, be pure, and tell everyone about God's Kingdom. Heal the sick, help the poor, laugh with the happy, and cry with the sad. Do those things, and you love Jesus. Don't do those things, and you don't.

How are we doing? How am I doing? What about you? What about your local church? Or the American church? Or the church worldwide? Are we known for these things? No, we aren't. We're known for a lot of stuff, but not much in the above list. How do we change it? We don't start by trying to change the church worldwide. We start on the other end of the spectrum. We start with me. With you. Am I known for that list? I don't think so. I need to love others more. I need to help the poor and outcast more. I need to do more to help heal the sick. There is much for me to change.

So do I love Jesus since I come up short? Yes. Because I hear Him call for these things, I take Him seriously, and I am always working on change. It's the desire to know Him that leads to the change. God isn't waiting on us to perfect it to accept us. He loves us enough to accept us right where we are. But He loves us too much to leave us there.

Where are you in the list? Find the areas you need to grow. Pray for that opportunity today. Then go look for it and do it. Do it now, before it is time to leave.