Throughout the Bible, we see God’s heart for justice. We see His heart for the vulnerable and defenceless. We see His comfort for the forgotten and hurting. And we see His love for rescuing those who can’t save themselves. The greatest example of this is in Jesus’ death. His sacrifice was to rescue us from our sin, to connect us with Him, and to give ultimate victory over the enemy. But God is also very clear that we need to be showing justice, mercy, and love to those who are forgotten and oppressed in society. In Isaiah we’re told to ‘learn to do right; seek justice.Defend the oppressed.’ In Micah it says: ‘What does the Lord require of you?To act justly and to love mercyand to walk humbly with your God’ (6:8 NIV). And in James 1, it says: ‘Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world’ (v.27 NIV). We need to be showing God’s heart to others through our care for those that people would rather exclude, to those who are forgotten, and to those who are being oppressed. It means we need to stand up for those who are unable to stand up for themselves. We need to choose to show God’s love to those who others avoid and forget. We need to pursue justice, and make a stand when we see injustice occurring. Sometimes we let fear get in the way of standing up for others, but we know that by working for justice we’re bringing God’s kingdom here to earth. And that’s worth stepping out of our comfort zones for. 

What Now?

Is there someone in your church who is often overlooked or forgotten about? Maybe they sit on their own each week? Make the effort to chat with them next time you see them.