Social Justice: Don't Be a Baby

Hebrews 13:16 - “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”

One of the first words a baby learns is “mine.”  Probably just as popular is “no!”  And quite often the concepts go together. From the beginning, apart from God’s work in our hearts, we are self-centered, selfish beings.  

As we've looked at social justice,  I've tried to think about how I can contribute.  The overwhelming ideas behind social justice are contrary (in opposition) to my natural state.  I want to take care of me, myself, and I, and ....... then, if I have time, it's cool to help someone else out.  But in the book of Hebrews 13:16, we are instructed to not neglect to do good and share what we have. It's an "others equal to myself" concept.  When given the opportunity, recognizing the needs of others - allowing their needs to be as important as our needs, allowing the concerns of others to become as important to us as our own. It requires not thinking less of ourselves, but maybe thinking of ourselves less.   This world, this life, is not only “mine!”  And I must never cease to do what is good and to share what I have with others, whether that be a kind word, a listening ear, a support for a friend who is wronged, meeting a physical need, sharing my circle of friends with someone new.  

Social justice begins with the Truth that in the family of God, we share one another's burdens and walk with one another through the fire, and our own desires are not as important as we originally thought!  Love someone today...... Do good and be a sharer, and believe it or not,  that will change at least one person's world!