Dear Amy,
What’s not to like about justice?
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
― Micah 6:8
But justice can be harsh, and justice as enforced by the privileged and powerful sometimes especially so. Perhaps the very worst aspect of justice is some entitled one insisting on asserting their own rights.
Where is the Lord’s heart in this justice?
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.
― Isaiah 61:1
(The opening of the prison to those who are bound could also be translated the opening of the eyes to those who are blind.)
This is a justice which rescues and protects and defends and cares for the most vulnerable. It is a justice overflowing with compassion. Are you beginning to see why “do justice” is a better translation than “act justly”?
Notice how it continues. The outcast and the alien are welcomed and invited in and integrated. They receive blessing and protection from the Lord as ministered by his people. And his people in return are richly blessed as these vulnerable ones who are raised up and made whole become themselves the source of blessing.
Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks; foreigners shall be your plowmen and vinedressers; but you shall be called the priests of the LORD; they shall speak of you as the ministers of our God; you shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their glory you shall boast.
― Isaiah 61:5-6
The Lord’s own people shall boast in the glory of these broken and vulnerable ones raised up.
But why does the Lord set his love upon these who were not his people?
… that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.
― Isaiah 61:3
Such justice born from compassion brings glory to the Lord, that he may display his beauty. May the name of the Lord be praised!
For I the LORD love justice.
― Isaiah 61:8a
This is the justice of which Micah speaks⸺justice as an outworking of compassion.
And what is the source of the compassion that enables us to do such justice? It is found in the justice that the Lord has done for us⸺the justice that surprises and rescues and will not be thwarted by our own sin and wretchedness.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
― 1 John 1:9
We have considered this before. Christ died for our sins, paying the debt in full. The Lord’s justice demands that we be forgiven. He will not take a second payment. We cannot keep such compassion to ourselves! It rises up and overflows and stokes the justice that we do⸺the Lord’s own justice. Praise him!
Do the Lord’s justice with compassion, Amy, and bring glory to his name! 🙏