Tag Archives: Preventive Justice

Sin Prevention

Epiphany
February 11, 2017

Scripture Reading: Matthew 5:21-37

‘You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, “You shall not murder”; and “whoever murders shall be liable to judgement.” But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgement; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, “You fool”, you will be liable to the hell of fire. –Matthew 5:21-22

My Sunday school class recently discussed whether all sins were equal or are some sins worse than others? Where does the accumulation of sins fit? What is sin anyway? We fell back on the definition of sin as missing the mark or not being aligned with God’s will. How do we know when we have missed the mark and what is our response? How do all the Biblical laws fit within these definitions and how do we interpret them as they apply in our world today?

Living is easier when everything is black and white. We can check off how good we are when we follow the rules as we understand them, regardless of their impact on us or others. I remember the scene from Schindler’s List (at least I think that was the movie) where Jews were hiding in sewer system tunnels to avoid being imprisoned by the Nazi’s. They had a tiny newborn with them who started to cry as the Nazi soldiers marched closer and closer to the hiding place. One of the parents placed a handkerchief over the baby’s mouth and nose till there was no noise escaping. The soldiers passed without notice, many lives were saved from the concentration camps, the baby died. There was nothing black or white about the situation.

It is never enough to protect ourselves from God’s judgment while the world is falling apart around us. God’s way as Jesus modeled it was to take care of problems before they escalated. To love our neighbors until there is no room left for discord and hate that leads to destruction, to prevent catastrophes before they happen, and to make justice for all a reality.

Of course, we do not get a clean slate on which to design our quest for justice. We must begin in whatever quagmire we find ourselves. Justice involves fixing the broken as well as preventing brokenness. God is powerful enough to support restoration and prevention at the same time. With God’s help we can restore and prevent at the same time also.

Prayer: Lord, empower our love to be the catalyst as we work to prevent injustice as well as restore justice.  Forgive us when we miss the mark; guide us to finding your way to justice. 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.

Preventive Justice

Epiphany
January 27, 2017

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:18-31

Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, in order that, as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.’ –1 Corinthians 1:26-31

When are humans ever going to figure out that God is not just a crisis intervener? I am a strong advocate for real-time justice and restorative justice and know there is much work needed in both. Where we followers of Christ often fall short is recognizing and investing in preventive justice. Chinua Achebe illustrates the idea of preventive justice well when he writes, While we do our good works let us not forget that the real solution lies in a world in which charity will have become unnecessary.

A living wage addresses much of the response to feeding the hungry and clothing the naked. Destroying the Pipeline to Prison* markedly reduces the number of prisoners we are called to visit. Universal health care prevents simple health problems from becoming disabilities. Creating stability and equality around the world allows people to remain in their lands or travel to another by choice, not necessity.

Communities of faith can and do practice preventive justice already in many ways:

  • Providing quality child care takes a chunk out of the pipeline to prison as do before and after school programs
  • Tutoring children in school helps to prepare them for earning better wages
  • Teaching good parenting and healthy eating enhances mental and psychical health outcomes
  • Providing pure water for our neighbors in other lands sustains life and opens doors for greater development

Celebrate such work and grow some more.

Prayer: Lord, energize us to work for preventive justice making life better for all your children. Amen.

*http://www.pbs.org/wnet/tavissmiley/tsr/education-under-arrest/school-to-prison-pipeline-fact-sheet/

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 American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

The Lord’s Side

floodLiving in the Spirit
September 23, 2015

Scripture Reading: Psalm 124

If it had not been the Lord who was on our side   —let Israel now say—
if it had not been the Lord who was on our side,
when our enemies attacked us,
then they would have swallowed us up alive,
when their anger was kindled against us;
then the flood would have swept us away,
the torrent would have gone over us;
then over us would have gone
the raging waters….

Our help is in the name of the Lord,
who made heaven and earth. –Psalm 124:1-5, 8

President Lincoln made a significant remark to a clergyman in the early days of the War.

 “Let us have faith, Mr. President,” said the minister, “that the Lord is on our side in this great struggle.”

 Mr. Lincoln quietly answered: “I am not at all concerned about that, for I know that the Lord is always on the side of the right; but it is my constant anxiety and prayer that I and this nation may be on the Lord’s side.”*

Our Psalm today is written in retrospect after an apparently calamitous flood had struck the land. We do need to thank God for God’s loving presence in all aspects of our lives. I fear though we are too often in these days hearing of loss of property, loss of both wildlife and domestic animals and deaths of humans due to what are termed “natural” disasters. What we may have failed to comprehend is the part we may have played in such events and the part that still awaits us to prevent them from happening. We are having a swarm of earthquakes related to wastewater drilling associated with the drilling of oil wells here in Oklahoma. For years we denied the connection. We are just now accepting the science that has been there all along.

What would have prevented the Civil War? How would our world be different today had our ancestors figured out preventing that war before it was too late? Do we not learn from our previous disasters?

What are we leaving for our descendants to clean up after we are gone because we chose to take the expedient way rather than God’s way? God gave us this great earth to supply are needs with the understanding that we must treat it responsibility. Just as God created all the peoples of the earth who share in common the work of God’s hands.

Prayer: Lord, cleanse us of the enmities that divide us and help us comprehend more particularly your ways and make them our own. Amen.

*http://www.aboutabrahamlincoln.com/anecdotes/anecdotes__on_the.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 American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.