Tag: justice

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Free! Anti-Slavery Day

It came to my attention this morning that in the UK today is Anti-Slavery Day.  A day that set aside to remember the amount of human trafficking and slavery that still occurs in our world. It’s actually quite shocking how much trafficking occurs, even in here in the United States.

That’s something for you to consider today, and how much of an injustice that is to people – especially since we are a people who love our freedom so much.

Or do we?

Not to reduce the human slavery notion of the day at all, but I know that is something that sometimes feels far away.  So I also want to urge you to think about your own slavery this morning – and how sometimes you might give up the freedom that the Christ gave you for the willing bondage to personal sin.

34 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. John 8:34 New Living Translation (NLT)

 

So today, let’s remember our freedom, and lets remember what we serve, as we consider the reality of some of the wickedness in our World.

Being then freed from sin, we have been made servants of justice. Romans 6:18 Douay-Rheims Bible

 

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Generous and Just

Just a simple verse to think about today:

“Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice.” Psalm 112:5 NIV

Do you welcome opportunities that let you be generous and just?

 

Oh, by the way, I actually found the entire Psalm provided good motivation this morning.

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Remembering Dr King

It’s a day out of school, or a day off work from most of you.  I will still be heading in to the ol’ mill today to mosey up to the grindstone.  However, this day, one that at times creates a lot of controversy is one that we should take a moment or two to stop and remember.

I was reading early this weekend about a bit of controversy about a quote on the newly established King Memorial over in the capital.   It’s seems that King gave a sermon one time where he said this

“If you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice, say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter.”

however, the inscription on this memorial has an abbreviated version, as follows

“I was a drum major for justice, peace, and righteousness.”

Hm, I can take it either way.  To me, memorials, with all the quotes, create an atmosphere where it seems the  honoree speaks to you from faraway when you are there.  And for the most part, from the history I have learned about this man, he was a drum major – leading a march for justice, peace and righteousness.

We all can learn a bit about how to treat others from Dr. King.  And I hope that you also remember that, well, as followers, of the Christ, we have all heard this somewhere before, and maybe we should join in the march as drum majors as well.

 

8But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do,
what God is looking for in men and women.
It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor,
be compassionate and loyal in your love,
And don’t take yourself too seriously—
take God seriously. Micah 6:8

 

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Checked in at Lame

I love this whole social media concept of checking in.  I haven’t used Foursquare, or Yelp yet, although it’s on my to do list.  I have been using the check-in feature on Facebook and it’s a great way to let people know all the cool places you go and where you are.

But one thing I notice is that no one checks in at work.  Whats up with that?  I guess we have Adam to blame! You know the whole work curse thing!  We spend the majority of our lives at our place of employment, but we don’t allow ourselves to acknowledge the significance.  As a matter of fact the one time that I did notice that one of my friends ‘checked-in’ at his workplace, the one comment on that post was “Lame”.

So I was thinking today that I would check in at work, and I would check in with one thought on my mind – this one from Micah:

8The LORD God has told us what is right and what he demands:

“See that justice is done, let mercy be your first concern, and humbly obey your God.” Micah 6:8 Contemporary English Version (CEV)

I determined this morning that this may help take some of the lameness out of the whole work thing, since it might just possibly help me look past the curse and to the influence I could exert on those people around me.  Maybe those concepts will make the work check-in just as interesting as the other fun places we go.  Well, who am I kidding, checking in at work will probably always be lame, but considering  justice, mercy and humility might change the way we consider the time we am there!

Give it a try.

Oh and here is an alternative ending!

 8But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do,

what God is looking for in men and women.
It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor,
be compassionate and loyal in your love,
And don’t take yourself too seriously—
take God seriously. Micah 6:8 The Message

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Justice

Last week, I was also given the opportunity to visit the Holocaust Museum in Washington.  I know, not the most uplifting place to visit on a getaway without children.  However both Amy and I had not been there and decided this was the one museum we would take in while in DC.  It’s a place that I would recommend that everyone visits as it does put into perspective what can happen when we judge and let hatred rule in our lives.

Anyway, as we were leaving the exhibit there was a quote painted on the wall.  For some reason the quotation really resonated with me.  So, as we were leaving the museum and heading back to the last Tour Mobile of the day, we were stopped at the exit and were asked to be interviewed for a survey the museum was doing.  (I think we have sucker on our foreheads.)  So after a discussion about the exhibits with this nice college student, she presented us with a magnet with the same quote on it.  In fact she said it was her favorite.  It seemed worthy of sharing with ya’ll as well.

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out —
Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out —
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out —
Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me — and there was no one left to speak for me. (Martin Niemoller)

Remember that no matter how big or small the injustice, it’s our responsibility to help others , and to stand up for what is right.

3 Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless;
maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.  Psalm 82:3 (New International Version)