Narrow Paths (On Justice)

Sometimes, though I believe most times, it is wise to sit in silence, and bear the burden of our time. 

To be in a house of mourning. 

To weep through others tears, and add our own. 

To believe that God takes all tears all into a bottle of his remembrance. 

During such a difficult time, we must conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel (Phil 1:27). What does it look like to dispense righteousness in this time? I don't believe remedies are impossible, but they aren't quickly found. Remedies require (slow and careful) transformation, both to ourselves and to the issues around us. 

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Paths

We should seek to be biblical. In a time where justice is the rallying cry, the Christian should not mindlessly join, but understand how the Bible (which is to say, God) defines our response to crisis and what is evil.

If justice, how does the Bible (which is to say, God) define justice?

If mercy, how does the Bible (which is to say, God) define mercy?

If retaliation, how does the Bible (which is to say, God) define retaliation?

In this (very important) regard, emotion is not a ticket out of being Scriptural. And no, it is not really (at all) legitimate to say "but obviously the Bible..." says _____ (fill in the blank: whatever you happen to think). 

No.

Hard no.

In a narrow pathway winged by thorns, we would keep more carefully to the path. Likewise, in a time of intense emotion and tsunamis of (mis?)information, we should  hold fast to what God has commanded. We should be very careful to be bound to Scripture during these edgy times. When we are in the salt and light of Scripture we become salt and light to the world. Otherwise, we become ineffective - we won't have longevity. 

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Help and Harm

Taking a cue from the last point, there is no justification in Scripture for returning violence with violence.

We are not to repay eye for eye (Matt 5:38-39). We are not to repay evil with evil (Rom 12:17). We are to, as far as possible, live peaceably with everyone (Rom 12:18). We are not to take revenge but leave room for the wrath of God (Rom 12:19). We are to overcome evil with good (Rom 12:20-21).

Honestly I'd say read the entire chapter of Romans 12. 

Well then. Am I against peaceful protest? No - not necessarily. But I think all of us should be against violence that harms the very communities it seeks to help. 

Love is not natural.

Violence is not a help. 

Revolution is not Scriptural. 

While I understand the emotion of anger and cannot fully comprehend the depth of misery, anger and the hardship my black friends and church family go through, I know that the Bible is clear on this. I may not understand, but God surely does, and God has been clear. 

There is no pass to anyone of us to contravene Scripture. 

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Sorrow

However, I think it is essential that all of us learn to have sorrow for all who experience racism (biblically, the sin of partiality). We should be remember that all are made in the image of God and worthy of dignity, respect, and honor since we are image bearers (Gen 1:27, 9:6). We should let people know us by love both for one another, but also for those we see bruised, beaten, and powerless (Luke 10:25-37). But in anger we should not sin, because we're NOT God, and we aren't complete just as God is, or fair as He is (Eph 4:26).. We should be careful, therefore, in our anger, because we do not mirror God perfectly and so our anger rarely meets its target.

Did not Jesus become distressed and angry (!) when the Pharisees said nothing to his question of healing the man with the withered hand? Was it not, at the least, because of their hardness of heart toward obvious pain and suffering in front of them? Let us be like Christ, and love those who are most obviously hurting these times (Mk 3:1-6). But let us read all of Scripture, not only the parts we favour. 

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Acts

The stunning thing about a book like the Psalms, which is filled with laments, is that it is always directed at God to bring justice. 

Change must be tempered by Scripture, and molded by God, because nothing will last except that which is defined and built on the Scriptures. We need to love others while believing God is with us. Let us seek to do good to all (Gal 6:10). Live lives that are above reproach, filled with respect for all people and honour for government (1 Pt 2:12-17). Let us seek the welfare of our countries, even as we are strangers bound for another (Jer 29:7).

Let us trust God to bring about justice in His time.

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Brief

1) Be biblical. Always.

2) Do not condone violence and evil on any side.

3) Learn how to grieve with those who grieve. 

4) Act prayerfully; prayerfully act.

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I've been struck by the reality of Proverbs, the book of wisdom in the Bible, because its assumption of its readers is that (we) are simple and lack sense. Because of that, we often are not on the path of wisdom. So then, the cure is to listen. Listen to what? 

God's words to us, because they detail that path.

So in these times, with love,

watch your step.