Voices: Justice looks like God’s will on earth as it is in heaven

EDITOR’S NOTE: “Justice looks like …” is a special series in the Voices column. Readers will have the opportunity to consider justice from numerous viewpoints. The series is based on each writer’s understanding of Scripture and relationship with Jesus Christ. Writers present their own views independent of any institution, unless otherwise noted in their bios.

You are encouraged to listen to each writer without prejudgment. Then, engage in conversation with others around you about what justice looks like to you.

Click here for more information about the series. Click here to read the full “Justice looks like…” series.

On the surface it seems a simple question. We all know what justice means to us. It’s righting a wrong, fair and equitable treatment, right?

Lady Justice, portrayed in the United States as a blindfolded woman carrying a sword and a set of scales, is one of the most recognizable legal symbols. She symbolizes the fair and equal administration of the law, without corruption, greed, prejudice or favor.

Unfortunately, our conscious and unconscious biases are not blind. Our sinful nature provokes us to justify greed and prejudice, as well as privilege and favor. As a Christian, I have searched Scripture to help process my struggles with justice.

What justice doesn’t look like

In 2003, my beloved sister—a decorated soldier—was brutally murdered in her apartment in my hometown in Oklahoma. Early on, I thought we would grieve the loss, law enforcement would investigate, and eventually there would be a day in court—an accounting of justice that did not happen.

By 2006, the pain was becoming bitterly rooted. I became aware I could not continue in the immensity of the grief, frustration and anger that was consuming me. The next several years were spent searching for purpose, peace and joy. I found and became very active in a women’s ministry at my church.

One day, it became clear to me that at age 9, when I accepted Christ as my Savior and was baptized in a creek near the country church we attended, I had been forgiven. Now, my peace depended on my ability to forgive the unidentified murderer of my sister.

Finding peace and a new path

I wrestled with myself for months to find that peace. I remember the night it happened. While leading a group of women in a summer Bible study on Revelation, God spoke to me. I felt him strongly declaring his sovereignty to right the wrong.

Hence, my new path in life began, even if I did not fully recognize it at the time. It was one of those life-changing moments when I knew the God-of-Heaven-and-Earth was opening a door of renewal. In that moment, I was released from the strong dark desire for vengeance.

I understood clearly that my pain and anger were directed not just to the man who committed my sister’s murder, but to all those who had participated in the failures of the justice system. That betrayal opened my eyes to a fragmented system, which sought to protect those of status and favor.

Awakening to justice

In this current time, I also feel there is an awakening across our nation, a move of God. He is opening our eyes and ears, allowing us truly to understand the experiences, pains and injustices hurting so many communities of color.

In his recent book, One in Christ: Bridging Racial and Cultural Divides, David D. Ireland provides an excellent look at how we are able to change. He explains that people can be changed in two ways: (1) when they are confronted with social and societal pressure, or (2) when confronted with their own personal values and actions that do not align with their beliefs. The second lead to my moment of conversion.

True repentance comes from the inside out. The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sins, and we cry out in repentance, reverse our behavior, and come into alignment with God’s desires.

What does justice look like for me? It looks like:

• John 3:16—“For God so loved the world.”
• Micah 6:8—What God requires: “To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with God.”
• Matthew 6:10—The will of God done “on earth as it is in heaven.”
• Revelation 7:9-12—“A great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.”

Resources for learning about justice

If your church or study group desires to learn more, here are a few helpful resources:

• One in Christ: Bridging Racial and cultural Divides by David D. Ireland.
• Multiethnic Conversations: An Eight-Week Journey Toward Unity In Your Church by Mark DeYmaz and Oneya Fennell Okuwobi.
• Welcome the Stranger: Justice, Compassion, & Truth in the Immigration Debate Revised and Expanded by Matthew Soerens and Jenny Yang.
• Thinking Biblically About Immigrants & Immigration Reform by The Evangelical Immigration Table.
• GLOO and Barna church data on COVID-19 and the racial justice response.

Brenda Kirk is the south-central regional mobilizer with The National Immigration Forum and The Evangelical Immigration Table. The views expressed are those solely of the author.

Click here to read the full “Justice looks like…” series.