Happy New Week everyone!
Diving right into today's post, I wanted to share some advice from the Bible in regards to speaking out for justice. In light of the protests worldwide against years of racism and police brutality, I think people have many different thoughts on what they should be doing when others are speaking out and fighting for justice.
So I decided to do a little digging into what the Bible has to say about what we should do in times such as these and why.
1. Seek justice for the oppressed and defenceless
There are SO many verses in the Bible that talk about defending those who need justice and speaking up for people who don't have a voice. The Bible is essentially telling us that it is right for us to speak up when people are being mistreated. In fact, it is required of us as children of God to administer justice when wrong is being done.
2. Pray for your enemies
This is one thing many children of God tend to forget when dealing with oppressors and people who are carrying out injustice towards us. This is not to say that we should let people walk freely after they've maltreated us.
No. Justice needs to be served.
But God asks us to pray for our enemies and those who persecute us because before anything, they are human beings; God's creation. And what God requires is that all men come to repentance. This can only happen when we stop allowing anger and animosity to cloud the love of God within us, and when we actually begin to pray that the hearts of our enemies will be softened, and that they will change from their ways.
We need to remember that everything that we are seeing physically has a spiritual side to it, and our real enemy is not the corrupt government, the crooked police system or even the racist people we encounter; the real enemy is the devil. He hates to see unity and so will find every possible way to divide us and instil hatred and fear into the hearts of mankind towards each other. But we need to stand up together and pray against it. Pray for love and pray for change.
3. We are all one therefore your problem is my problem
In the days of the early church, the members of the church were so close that they shared just about everything. Food, clothes, properties, fellowship, you name it. One person's problem was everyone's problem. And so it is today.
As believers, as children of God, as God's creation we are meant to care for each other and share each other's burdens and worries. Something that affects one group of people, one ethnicity, one race, must affect all others.
As the East High Wildcats of High School Musical once said, "WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER!"
4. Remember that a time will come when you need help
I stumbled upon a verse (Proverbs 21:13) and it actually made me think about how you can't refuse to help someone in times of need and expect to be helped when you face difficulties. Now's not the time to be quiet when your friends, family and work colleagues are facing so much injustice. Speak up for them now because a time will come when you'll expect to be spoken for too.
5. Using your influence/position to make a change
Many of us have a big social media platform that influences a lot of people. And even if your social media platform isn't that huge, you still have friends and people you communicate with or who follow you. As long as you have social media, you can use it to speak out for change. Whether it's social media or a position at school, work or in society, you have the ability to cause change.
There are so many people in the Bible who used their positions to influence change and administer justice for the oppressed. Esther is a brilliant example. She was a Jew who was made Queen of Babylon, the kingdom that had brought her nation into captivity. And when a plot to annihilate all the Jews surfaced, her uncle Mordecai advised her to take action and save her people. She decided to finally speak up and use her position of power to rescue the Jews from the hand of their enemy, Haman, and all who would try to kill them.
Don't be afraid to stand up for justice and truth, despite the consequences that may follow.
6. Know that God is the ultimate judge at the end of the day
We need to always remember that God is the ultimate judge at the end of the day. And what's more important is that, God not only judges actions here on earth but on the day of judgement, He will judge our souls. I had a whole conversation with my friend about something relating to this which I'll save for another post but I just wanted to say that, although we may be fighting for justice to be served here on earth, we shouldn't take things into our own hands in the name of revenge. We need to be the bigger people, not becoming as cruel and heartless as our 'enemies'. Because at the end of the day, Vengeance belongs to the Lord.
When it comes to standing up for what's right, we should never think that any action we take is insignificant or too small. It also doesn't mean that, for example, signing only one petition is enough. You need to do everything within your ability to seek justice.
I honestly believe that this is the start of a great revolution. The chance for change and equality for ALL people. The question is, at the end of the day, what will you have done?
Will you be able to look back after a few years and say that, I did everything I possibly could to fight for justice? Or did I sit back, fold my arms and let everyone else do all the work?
Hope you learnt something from today's post. Feel free to comment your views down below or email/message me on social media. I honestly love hearing from you; I always learn a lot from my conversations with you guys. Have an amazing day!
Stay blessed and stay a blessing.
