Tag Archives: Justice

Politics and Justice

Living in the Spirit

November 15, 2021

Scripture Reading:
2 Samuel 23:2-7

The spirit of the Lord speaks through me,
   his word is upon my tongue.
The God of Israel has spoken,
   the Rock of Israel has said to me:
One who rules over people justly,
   ruling in the fear of God,
is like the light of morning,
   like the sun rising on a cloudless morning,
   gleaming from the rain on the grassy land.

Is not my house like this with God?
   For he has made with me an everlasting covenant,
   ordered in all things and secure.
Will he not cause to prosper
   all my help and my desire?
But the godless are all like thorns that are thrown away;
   for they cannot be picked up with the hand;
to touch them one uses an iron bar
   or the shaft of a spear.
   And they are entirely consumed in fire on the spot. –2 Samuel 23:2-7

Politics has crossed the line into jurisprudence– practical wisdom about the law. In Oklahoma last week, we legally executed a man for murder who was possibly mentally ill.  According to witnesses, he suffered numerous convulsions after he was administered the first drug and vomited twice while tethered to a gurney with arms outstretched. A federal court hearing is scheduled in February to determine once again whether Oklahoma’s method of execution is cruel and unusual punishment. Thirty men were on death row when this hearing was called who would be impacted by it. They were each required to choose the method of execution they would prefer, to be a party in the case. The man executed last week said making such a choice would be the equivalent of suicide, and his faith forbids suicide. Thus, he was removed from the case and immediately moved into execution protocols. This week our Governor will decide whether to execute a man for which there is compelling evidence that he did not commit the crime for which he was given the death penalty. Will the Governor decide based on the facts of the case or the point that 61% of Oklahoma’s support the death penalty?

David is the identified author of the above scripture, written at the end of his reign as king. Thus, the advice comes from an experienced politician. Yes, politics exist in a monarchy. David’s sage observation is to be a successful leader; one must do justice. Sometimes leaders need to be teachers also. They need to share with their constituents the broader picture of issues they may not know or understand.

Prayer: God of Justice and Mercy, open our hearts and minds to considering all aspects of justice and as we strive to do what is right as citizens of a nation and state where justice is defined by people we elect. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

The Bigger Picture

Living in the Spirit

November 13, 2021

Scripture Reading: Mark 13:1-8

As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!’ Then Jesus asked him, ‘Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.’

When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, ‘Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?’ Then Jesus began to say to them, ‘Beware that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name and say, “I am he!” and they will lead many astray. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs.

Living in what is dubbed “Tornado Alley” all my life, I have learned that all buildings are vulnerable. While I have never seen the temple wall in Jerusalem, I have seen the ruins of other great cities. Jesus cautioned his disciples against putting their faith in stones and what they represent. Instead, he called us to trust in the God who created the earth and all that is in it. The tornado that hit Moore, Oklahoma, on May 3, 1999, was classified as an F5 (greater than 200 mph) and 8/10th of a mile wide. Driving by the devastation in its wake brought close the impact on all involved. However, seeing the view from the air was unbelievable. There was nothing left on a broad span of the neighborhood hit, except lengths of concrete driveways and parts of foundations. The Jerusalem temple was destroyed by war, which most likely occurred about the same time the book of Mark was written.

Jesus shared the big picture with his disciples. He wants us to grasp that the challenges of everyday life are impacted by the decisions we made in the past and daily. Yes, we need to feed the hungry now, clothe the naked, provide water for the thirsty, care for the sick, restore the prisoner, and welcome the stranger in real-time. However, it is just as vital that we address the ways of our world that cause systemic problems. For example, ending poverty would allow those who are hungry to buy their food. Removing the lead from water pipes makes water safe to drink and prevents severe impacts on children. Improving our immigration laws would make routine the hiring of needed seasonal workers. Working to stabilize countries in economic distress would allow people to thrive in their homeland, reducing refugees’ influx.

None of the prophets who correctly predicted the failure of nations wanted their predictions to come true, including Jesus. Just the opposite, they hoped to prevent what was evident to them. That is still true today.

Prayer: God of Justice, open our hearts and minds to see the harm we do to ourselves and others as the idols of our world distract us from following your warnings. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

King of the Mountain

Living in the Spirit

November 9, 2021

Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 2:1-10

Hannah prayed and said,

‘There is no Holy One like the Lord,
   no one besides you;
   there is no Rock like our God.
Talk no more so very proudly,
   let not arrogance come from your mouth;
for the Lord is a God of knowledge,
   and by him actions are weighed.
The bows of the mighty are broken,
   but the feeble gird on strength.
Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread,
   but those who were hungry are fat with spoil.
The barren has borne seven,
   but she who has many children is forlorn.
The Lord kills and brings to life;
   he brings down to Sheol and raises up.
The Lord makes poor and makes rich;
   he brings low, he also exalts.
He raises up the poor from the dust;
   he lifts the needy from the ash heap,
to make them sit with princes
   and inherit a seat of honor.
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
   and on them he has set the world. –1 Samuel 2:1a, 2-8

He has told you, O mortal, 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

When I was in grade school, one of the games we played was King of the Mountain. We would find a naturally raised spot in the playground or create such a place as our mountain. The goal would be to push, pull, or shove off our “mountain” whoever made it to the top and take their place. Unfortunately, what was a game to us readily transferred into adult behavior. I have occasionally considered sending our governmental leaders books on how to deal with a child experiencing the terrible twos because that is how they act. I am not sure if Hannah’s prayer above includes a bit of that sentiment or if it suggests that God is the great equalizer. Indeed, most Kings that bully their way to the top of the mountain do come down.

Micah prescribes an alternative way that prevents one-upmanship allowing all to prosper in the love of God while experiencing the abundant life of enough for all. That is to do justice, be kind, and walk humbly with God. In practice, it might work better if we started by walking humbly with God.

Prayer: God of Grace, forgive us when we seek the ways of the world rather than prospering in your love. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

All Made in the Image of God

Living in the Spirit

November 8, 2021

Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 1:4-20

On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters; but to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb. Her rival used to provoke her severely, to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. So it went on year after year; as often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat. Her husband Elkanah said to her, ‘Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? Why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?

Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation all this time.’ Then Eli answered, ‘Go in peace; the God of Israel grant the petition you have made to him.’ And she said, ‘Let your servant find favor in your sight.’ Then the woman went to her quarters, ate and drank with her husband, and her countenance was sad no longer.

 They rose early in the morning and worshipped before the Lord; then they went back to their house at Ramah. Elkanah knew his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her. In due time Hannah conceived and bore a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, ‘I have asked him of the Lord.‘ –1 Samuel 1:4 -8, 16-20

The Bible is a record of the history of God mingled with particular cultures in specific times. It is a story still being written in our culture and our time. In Hannah’s time, women were most likely perceived only as incubators to hatch the seed planted by a male. Not being able to perform that function was the cause of great shame for a woman. This reality, coupled with the burning desire to be a mother no matter what the culture dictated, left Hannah in great distress. She laid her anguish before God. When Priest Eli heard her plight, he assured her that God would grant her petition to have a child. The Prophet Samuel was the answer to that prayer.

We, too, pray in the angst of culture created by other gods of our world trying to dictate divide and conquer measures of worth.  We humans seem to be drawn to the need to judge human value by identifying traits and statuses that create hierarchies of some people being better than others. We need more people of God looking deeper into people’s pain, enabling all to recognize that all are created in God’s very image. Samuel grew up to become such a witness.

Prayer: Lord, help us look deeper into “The ways we have always done things” and sift out the wheat from the chaff.  Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

A Just Nation

Living in the Spirit

November 7, 2021

Scripture Reading: John 11:32-44

Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. Jesus said, ‘Take away the stone.’ Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, ‘Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead for four days.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?’ So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upwards and said, ‘Father, I thank you for having heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.’ When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, and let him go.’ John 11:38-42

Soon after I graduated from college and started my first job as a social worker, I participated in a Bible study based on the story of the raising of Lazarus. We explored the question was our faith dead or alive? Did our faith need to be unbound and let go? If so, where was it leading us? This was a good time in my life to consider, as a young adult, how I would live my faith. I am a cradle Christian who never experienced life without being a part of a Christian community of faith.  I attended a Christian College. I accepted Jesus as my Savior as a youth.  But the time had come for me to choose how to live my faith beyond the influence of family and the church’s culture. My life experiences discerning how my faith defined me coincided with my first experiences as a social worker providing direct services. I only spent two years working directly with the poor and families caught in the child welfare system. While I spent 33 years more working in social work administration, those prior two years provided me with a lifetime of lessons in the need to do justice and see that the world’s systemic ways must be addressed for justice to be realized.  Jesus was very clear about our need to address such issues.

While we readily think that we are the most powerful nation globally, we fail to see if that were true that could classify us as what the Bible calls an empire. The question with which we must struggle is whether there can be justice within an empire. Unfortunately, history does not give us much hope for that. Greed and lust for power have overtaken most empires. Can our faith in God unbind us from these snares of empire?

Prayer: Lord, Paul tells us that faith, hope, and love abides and the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13). Fill us with your love, renew our hope, strengthen our faith toward building a world ruled by love. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Death Penalty

Living in the Spirit

November 1, 2021

Scripture Reading:

Wisdom of Solomon 3:1-9

But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God,
and no torment will ever touch them.
In the eyes of the foolish they seemed to have died,
and their departure was thought to be a disaster,
and their going from us to be their destruction;
but they are at peace.
For though in the sight of others they were punished,
their hope is full of immortality.
Having been disciplined a little, they will receive great good,
because God tested them and found them worthy of himself;
like gold in the furnace he tried them,
and like a sacrificial burnt-offering he accepted them.
In the time of their visitation they will shine forth,
and will run like sparks through the stubble.
They will govern nations and rule over peoples,
Those who trust in him will understand truth,
and the faithful will abide with him in love,
because grace and mercy are upon his holy ones,
and he watches over his elect.

Oklahoma has jumped back into the desire to execute prisons with great enthusiasm. A new governor and his newly appointed Attorney General are anxious to correct the state’s requirement to do this job. I wish they had the same enthusiasm for solving our homeless problem or that we are in the top ten worst states in the nation for public education and health care. Oklahoma placed a moratorium on execution in 2015 after a second botched attempt at executing persons sentenced to the death penalty. Last week we used the same protocols to execute a man and got the same results. Witnesses reported that while he was strapped on a gurney like Jesus on the cross, he vomited all over himself twice and convulsed two dozen times immediately after being given the sedative that was the first step in the process. The second shot paralysis him. And finally, they administered the lethal drug that killed him.  

Prayer: May John Marion Grant rest in peace, and may God have mercy on all responsible for his execution, including me whose taxes helped pay for it.  Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Happy or Blessed

Living in the Spirit

October 27, 2021

Scripture Reading: Psalm 119:1-8

Happy are those whose way is blameless,
   who walk in the law of the Lord.
Happy are those who keep his decrees,
   who seek him with their whole heart,
who also do no wrong,
   but walk in his ways.
You have commanded your precepts
   to be kept diligently.
O that my ways may be steadfast
   in keeping your statutes!
Then I shall not be put to shame,
   having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.
I will praise you with an upright heart,
   when I learn your righteous ordinances.
I will observe your statutes;
   do not utterly forsake me.

I just discovered that I did not know what the word “happy” means. When I read the first line of the above scripture, Happy are those whose way is blameless, my mind immediately flashed to the plight of Julius Jones, a prisoner on death row awaiting execution. There are many questions about his guilt in the murder of a man. In my opinion, there exist too many unanswered issues to execute him, but a jury disagreed, as have the appeals courts. Much information has evolved since the trial that was not available for the jury to consider. A very compelling case could be made that he was innocent. However, if he is blameless, I doubt that he would use my definition of the word “happy” to describe his state of being.

Merriam-Webster defines happy as:

  1. favored by luck or fortune
  2. notably well adapted or fitting, markedly effective
  3. having the feeling arising from the consciousness of well-being*

Strong’s Concordance uses blessed as a near-synonym**. Other Biblical translations use blessed instead of happy, which perhaps suggests a relationship with God. He was 19 years old when the crime was committed and was sentenced to death in 2002. He could have quit feeling a long time ago.

I think definition number three fits Julius Jones’s situation. One attains a sense of well-being when one is right with God, no matter what others think. I know nothing about his faith, but I pray he has found that sense of well-being that comes from a relationship with God. I also pray that, as a government, we seek restorative justice for all in all situations.

Prayer: God, forgive us when we fail to do justice and practice mercy. Amen.

*https://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/happy

**https://biblehub.com/hebrew/835.htm

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Fragile Destiny

Living in the Spirit

October 26, 2021

Scripture Reading:

Deuteronomy 6:1-9

Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the ordinances—that the Lord your God charged me to teach you to observe in the land that you are about to cross into and occupy, so that you and your children and your children’s children may fear the Lord your God all the days of your life, and keep all his decrees and his commandments that I am commanding you, so that your days may be long. Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe them diligently, so that it may go well with you, and so that you may multiply greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has promised you.

Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

I have a deep sense that our world is on the cusp of imploding, collapsing inward from the external pressure of greed. We seem willing to die or kill our future and the future of our descendants in exchange for amassing wealth. We use our talents and skills clinging to fossil fuels rather than seeking ways to replace them while retaining the economic impact they create. Jobs are crucial amassing wealth is not.  I am reminded of these words from the song, Circle, on Barbra Streisand’s CD Higher Ground:

When it comes to thinking of tomorrow
We must protect our fragile destiny
In this precious life there is no time to borrow
The time has come to be a family

Of course, we may not need to save the earth if we kill off all its inhabitants via starvation, pandemics, and terrorism. Are we climbing the Tower of Babel or perhaps swimming to grab the last seat on Noah’s Ark? Are we really willing to fall as Israel and Judah did, followed by their captors Assyria and Babylon? Can we not see ourselves in our history? Oh, but I forget we are now outlawing the teaching of history—finding ways to learn from our mistakes.

The good thing about a cusp is it marks a point of transition. We do hold our fragile destiny in our hands. Do we follow the ways of greed and lust for power, or do we listen to the path set forth by Micah 6:8?

He has told you, O mortal, 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?

Prayer: Lord, save us from self-destruction. Turn us around and help us learn the wonder of living a life of love. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Being the Body of Christ

Living in the Spirit

October 23, 2021

Scripture Reading: Mark 10:46-52

They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’, but he cried out even more loudly, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Jesus stood still and said, ‘Call him here.’ And they called the blind man, saying to him, ‘Take heart; get up, he is calling you.’ So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. Then Jesus said to him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ The blind man said to him, ‘My teacher, let me see again.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go; your faith has made you well.’ Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.

Among the crowd following Jesus, many sternly ordered [the blind man] to be quiet. Jesus’s response was to tell the followers to call him here. Wouldn’t it make more sense for Jesus to call Bartimaeus to him so that the blind man could follow the sound of Jesus’ voice? Was Jesus gently putting his followers in their place for not caring about the blind beggar’s plight? They most likely also had to clear a path and guide Bartimaeus to Jesus.

Do we place our personal experience being the church above our call to be the Body of Christ in our world today? Working together in communities of faith is essential to being the Body of Christ. Still, we must be careful not to get so caught up in being the gathering and sharing parts of the Body of Christ we forget about reaching out: feeding, healing, teaching people; providing safe water while otherwise protecting our environment; welcoming strangers; and restoring prisoners.

My local District Attorney, supported by our State Attorney General, requested that two of the Pardon and Parole Board members be removed because they believe in what I call restorative justice. The two prosecutors even pointed out that the faith of one of the two impacted his viewpoints.  The issue arose when this new Attorney General took steps to reactivate the death penalty in Oklahoma. Suddenly, five men on death row are being scheduled for execution and must have their final appearance before the Pardon and Parole Board. The question is not what Jesus would do, but how do we respond since we wear his shoes?

Prayer: Lord, let your Spirit give us the courage to love like you and serve like you. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Advocate for Justice

Living in the Spirit

October 19, 2021

Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 31:7-9

For thus says the Lord:

Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob,

   and raise shouts for the chief of the nations;

proclaim, give praise, and say,

   ‘Save, O Lord, your people,

   the remnant of Israel.’

See, I am going to bring them from the land of the north,

   and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth,

among them the blind and the lame,

   those with child and those in labor, together;

   a great company, they shall return here.

With weeping they shall come,

   and with consolations I will lead them back,

I will let them walk by brooks of water,

   in a straight path in which they shall not stumble;

for I have become a father to Israel,

   and Ephraim is my firstborn.

I have not decided whether it is good or bad to know all the bad things are happening in our world within seconds. We can get information overload that makes us numb to crisis after crisis. Yet, being aware of world events helps us see what we were ignorant of in the past.  I view with interest pictures of cargo ships backed up in the Pacific Ocean. The delivery system from abroad has gotten so overcrowded it cannot unload the vessels on time. Part of that results from not having enough truck drivers and people who offload ships.  Layoffs and work stoppages caused by COVID have resulted in employees reconsidering the type of work and shifting to better-paying jobs or demanding higher pay. The real problem is while C.E.O. salaries have skyrocketed, workers’ wages have stagnated. By 2019, C.E.O. compensation grew 940% since 1978*.  In 2020, top C.E.O.s earned 351 times more than the typical worker**. 

In the scripture above, Jeremiah has seen the plight of his people and is assuring them that God will restore them to wholeness. I believe that is the case today. God is working God’s purpose out. Therefore, we as God’s followers are called to do our part for all people to benefit from the love of God where they can walk by brooks of clean water along straight paths in a world where justice prevails.

Prayer: Lord, help us not miss the parts of our world that are curving off your path. Guide us in our advocacy for your justice. Amen.

*https://www.epi.org/publication/ceo-compensation-2018/

**https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/15/in-2020-top-ceos-earned-351-times-more-than-the-typical-worker.html

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

In the scripture above, Jeremiah has seen the plight of his people and is assuring them that God will restore them to wholeness. I believe that is the case today. God is working God’s purpose out. Therefore, we as God’s followers are called to do our part for all people to benefit from the love of God where they can walk by brooks of clean water along straight paths in a world where justice prevails.

Prayer: Lord, help us not miss the parts of our world that are curving off your path. Guide us in our advocacy for your justice. Amen.

*https://www.epi.org/publication/ceo-compensation-2018/

**https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/15/in-2020-top-ceos-earned-351-times-more-than-the-typical-worker.html

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.