Read on to learn more about bringing healing to a world that hurts with justice, kindness, and humility.
The world feels unbearably heavy right now. Our souls are burdened.
By loss.
By injustice.
Racism. Plague. Violence.
It’s not supposed to be this way. It’s always been this way, but it’s not supposed to be this way.
Yesterday I posted some pictures of cute dogs on Facebook, saying, “Here are some puppies for when the hurt is too heavy.” My friend responded that something about those pictures of the sweet dogs made her cry. She said, “My hurt is huge right now and these puppies bring such joy.”
Beauty in God’s creation breaks open our hearts and reminds us of what God created us for. He didn’t create us for this broken world. He created us for beauty. He created us for himself.
You would think, though, that we’d be used to this brokenness in our world that has been broken for ages. You would think that we would shrug at violence, death, and sickness, and say, “stuff happens.” But our reactions of grief point us back to the eternity we were made for. They point us back to the God we were made for.
What Am I Supposed to Do?
Our hearts break open in grief when the hurt gets too heavy, and we desperately wish that there was something we could do to fix it.
God has told us what we can do to bring his kingdom on earth:
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 ESV)
1. Do Justice
I saw this verse a couple days ago and it hit me between the eyes:
Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die;
save them as they stagger to their death.
Don’t excuse yourself by saying, “Look, we didn’t know.”
For God understands all hearts, and he sees you.
He who guards your soul knows you knew.
He will repay all people as their actions deserve.
Proverbs 24:11-12 NLT
Maybe like some of you, I can’t think of a time when I saw injustice happen before my own eyes. But I also know that I haven’t had my eyes open.
Lord, please open our eyes to injustice. Please give us wisdom to know when and how to step in to protect the oppressed.
Some practical, biblical ways to promote justice:
- Educate yourself on a particular justice movement.
- Research what the Bible says about that topic and pray for wisdom in pursuing God’s kingdom in that area of social justice.
- Based on your Scriptural study, work on your own beliefs and habits.
- Find out if your church has an active ministry in this area, or find a local chapter.
- Volunteer your time or your gifts to promote God’s will for that area of social justice.
2. Love Kindness
Kindness is a beautiful, underestimated word in the English language. Kindness goes such a long way to deescalate a tough encounter, to show dignity to another human, and to bring light to someone’s day.
But the picture of kindness here in Micah 6:8 is even more glorious than that. This is the one-way, undeserved loving-kindness that God showed towards us when we were still his enemies by sending his Son to die for us and to bring us into his family.
God’s kindness turns enemies into family.
“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8 ESV
Lord, it’s easy to be kind to the people who are kind back to me. Please help me to be kind your way, with one-way kindness, even toward people who hate me.
3. Walk Humbly With Your God
The most powerful thing we can do to make a change in our broken world is to walk with God, pursuing his heart of justice, mercy, and undeserved kindness.
In humility, soften your heart to be molded in his image. Let his concerns become your concerns. Let his priorities shape your priorities. Let his Spirit change you from the inside out.
Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!
Psalm 139:23-24 ESV
And friends, please be reassured by the feelings you’re experiencing right now. Our world is broken and it hurts. But that hurt points us back to our God the Healer, the One Who Is Making All Things New.
Have you treated someone unkindly? Have you treated someone unjustly? Have you hated someone? Your God’s forgiveness is bigger than your sin. He has given you a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26). The trick is learning to listen to it (Gal. 5:16). And as you grow, you will learn to delight in the privilege of being involved in his kingdom-building, earth-healing work.
