Inaction Feeds Injustice

“Doom to you who legislate evil, who make laws that make victims—laws that make misery for the poor, that rob my destitute people of dignity...” (Isaiah 10:1-2 MSG)

What do you do in the face of injustice? 

My response thus far has been predictable: I feel upset for a few days, I pray that God will take care of it, and I go about my life. After all, I am not racist; I am not the perpetrator of abuse. I do not oppress, discriminate, or deny justice to the needy. Actually, I do not do anything. I see myself as neutral and powerless against injustice. I react...but I do not act. 

Inaction feeds injustice; it is not neutral. It emboldens the oppressors while draining the dignity of the defenseless. It is inhumane--lacking in compassion for the suffering and distressed. If we saw someone kneeling on the neck of a dog, or chasing it in a pickup truck and killing it with a shotgun, we would immediately enact laws against this sort of behavior. Yet, we are unable to extend the same level of empathy for certain segments of humanity. 

Anyone who speaks up or acts up against injustice is guaranteed to be a target of animosity. It is agitating--shining a spotlight on our own biases and that of society. It is disruptive--to our own perspectives, as well as to those around us who are complacent. It is inconvenient, unsettling, and disturbing to the order of established systems. Action in the face of injustice requires discomfort...for uneasiness is a precursor to change. 

Too Much at Once

“Now a wind went out from the Lord and drove quail in from the sea. It scattered them up to two cubits deep all around the camp, as far as a day’s walk in any direction.” (Numbers 11:31 NIV)

Every year before gardening season, we amend the existing soil in our raised beds with topsoil. There are two ways to do this. One is to buy small bags of topsoil that can be carried home in the trunk of our vehicle. This method allows us to buy, store, and use the soil at our convenience. The second way is to get a truckload of bulk soil delivered to our home. We did this one year. The dump truck unloaded a big pile of soil at the end of our driveway. It took us several weeks to move all the soil with shovels and wheelbarrows. It was too much to deal with at once. 

Sometimes I ask God for something, and He unloads more than I can handle at once. Like the Israelites who wanted meat and got more quail than they knew what to do with, I feel overwhelmed. I prefer everything to be delivered in convenient packages and times. When I read Scripture passages that are difficult to understand, I ask God for insights. I want these revelations to come when I have time to sit down and take notes. However, God doesn’t consider my schedule. He dumps piles of realizations all at once, compelling me to put aside my plans. I sift and sort through it and move it to the right spots. I have learned that God delivers according to His timetable, and I have to stay available and amenable. 

Gratitude Rush

“Be thankful in all circumstances.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18 GNT)

I go through my morning routine mindlessly--wake up, brush my teeth, wash my face, put on chapstick, get a large mug of coffee, and sit down with my Bible and journal. This morning, as I reached for my lip balm, a sudden rush of gratitude washed over me. I noticed all the little luxuries that I take for granted: a soft bed, blankets, pillows, a private bathroom, toothpaste, hot water, soap, towels, coffee, books, journals, pencils,  morning silence, time to think, read, and write, a secure home...

As the day went on, there was the usual stream of bad news--loved ones going through difficult times, social injustice, political corruption, and global suffering. Normally this would be enough to make me moody, but not today. Like a leaf buoyed by a fountain of water,  an involuntary rush of gratitude kept my spirits up. I continually thanked God in every circumstance. I was able to find some speck of goodness in everything today. I pray that this perspective of gratitude remains with me…

Pinioned

“God will protect you with his pinions; you'll find refuge under his wings. His faithfulness is a protective shield.” (Psalm 91:4 CEB)

This morning I woke up earlier than usual. As I sat quietly in reverie, a deep weight settled over me. I felt pinioned--like a bird whose wings were held close to its body. For a few hours, I was restrained securely by God. 

Like most people, I don’t like to be restricted. I want to do what I want, when and wherever I want, in the way I want to do it. I want to be in control, have the freedom to make my own decisions. I rankle at any form of confinement. 

Like young birds who have discovered their wings, we want to fly unfettered. Yet God tucks us into his pinions, guarding us from harm. Under his wings, we are safe. God’s protective shield sometimes feels restrictive. When we feel pinned down and tethered, it’s tempting to rebel. Don’t. Use the instincts that are deep within you. Remain securely pinioned under God’s wings. 

Daniel in Captivity

“Daniel determined that he would not defile himself by eating the king’s food or drinking his wine, so he asked the head of the palace staff to exempt him from the royal diet.” (Daniel 1:8 MSG)

Most of us have heard the Biblical story of Daniel in the lion’s den. Daniel was a Jewish captive in Babylon. He was thrown into a pit of lions for disobeying an edict against private prayer. He survived because of God’s protection over him. This made an impression on his Babylonian captors. Little did they know that Daniel had been preparing for this moment for a long time. 

As a young man in the King’s court, Daniel determined he would not defile himself by eating the royal diet. He did not mind being seen as weird. He wasn’t concerned about fitting in or assimilation. He remained true to his conscience, even when that led to hardship. Daniel remained disciplined despite the pleasures available to him. He was in a pit of temptations, but he survived because of God’s protection over him. 

The lessons of Daniel are especially useful in these times of confinement. Do the right thing, even when it is inconvenient. Remain true to your conscience, even when it leads to hardship. Be disciplined, despite what others are doing around you. Rely on God to protect you from the temptations that surround you. 

Discipline and Corrections

“If you love learning, you love the discipline that goes with it—how shortsighted to refuse correction!” (Proverbs 12:1 MSG)

I love learning. I can be somewhat disciplined when I set my mind to it. However, I DO NOT like correction. When someone tells me something I would rather not hear, my first reaction is annoyance. Even when I sense there is truth in what they say, I respond defensively. I don’t like change, and correction involves a shift in perspective and trajectory. 

Recently I was going about business as usual when a friend suggested a course correction. She challenged me to reconsider my status quo. I was not pleased. I stomped my feet and had a private tantrum. Then, within a few hours, another friend mentioned the same thing. Now I was annoyed at both of them. Yet, I knew I had to consider what they said. I sat with the discomfort. I prayed. I asked God for guidance. I tentatively, reluctantly, turned from the familiar trajectory on to a new path. 

Prayer Break

“God, you are my God. I celebrate you. I praise you. You’ve done your share of miracle-wonders, well-thought-out plans, solid and sure. Here you’ve reduced the city to rubble…”(Isaiah 25:1-2 MSG)

Yesterday afternoon, I felt like I needed to take a prayer break. As usual, I started by looking for a Scripture verse to meditate on. I poked around in Isaiah, because I needed some hope. But everything I read added to my gloom. Then I tried to praise and thank God. This is how I was taught to pray, but that brought no relief either. So I decided to vent, to cry out, and then straight up ask God for what I wanted: 

Lord, things feel uncertain, unstable, and out of control. Sickness, unemployment, poverty,  depression, loneliness, anger, hatred, blame, confusion, anxiety, hopelessness...it's all too much. I need you to fix this mess. First of all, please show us how to take care of those who are suffering. Also, teach us not to add to the pain. I pray especially for my loved ones and those super-sufferers in this world. Take care of the injustice. If there is some way you can use me, show me what to do. If not me, then use others...but do something soon...please.