Justice in Real Life
December 23, 2009 |
My life gets crazy. I’m a mom. I have diapers to change, groceries to buy, and lunches to make. I’m a writer, a speaker and a church leader. I have things to write, talks to give, and issues to raise. Between keeping up with the kids, paying the bills, and following my calling, most days I’m happy if I can squeeze in the luxurious “me moment” of a shower.
But as a follower of Christ I also know that I am called to love my neighbor as Jesus did—by proclaiming good news to the poor, freedom for prisoners, sight for the blind, and to set the oppressed free (as mentioned in Luke 4). Seeking justice for others in these ways is at the heart of what it means to follow Christ. It’s not just a call for some Christians; it’s for all of us – including us busy leaders.
But it can be hard to figure out how I can be seeking justice for others in the midst of my chaotic life.
I read books by guys like Shane Claiborne and am inspired by how they have fully committed their lives to serving others. Yet even as I am inspired by them, I know that I can’t move into a commune in the inner-city in order to devote my life to others. It’s a great idea, just not very doable at this stage in life.
It’s frustrating that doing justice in this world often seems to fall into these all or nothing extremes. Either one devotes every aspect of who they are to seeking justice or they opt out because they just can’t see how they can fit it into their lives.
But seeking justice doesn’t have to be an all or nothing thing. Many of the most serious justice issues in our world today are actually intimately connected to our everyday lives and therefore can be addressed through simple everyday actions as well. Even those diapers I change and those lunches I make are justice issues connecting me to people all over the world—my neighbors who Jesus has asked me to love. Even in my busy life, I can choose to serve others through these daily actions.
It took me awhile (and a decent amount of research) to realize these things, and even longer to start to implement them into my life. The whole process started for me with a deliberate choice to only buy fair trade coffee. I had read the stories that coffee farmers around the world were literally being cheated of their wages for the coffee they grew. They could no longer send their children to school, and were struggling to even put food on the table. Many of these farmers were being forced off their land simply because the price they were being paid for their work no longer allowed them to even survive. Fair trade companies though choose to respect the dignity of the coffee farmers. By purchasing fair trade coffee I know that the farmers were paid a decent wage for their work, allowed to have a say in how the coffee is grown, and were not abused or threatened as they worked. Sure, it costs me a little more to buy this coffee, but I’m fine paying the full cost of my coffee instead of cheating the farmers of their wages so I can have cheap coffee. My morning cup of coffee is a justice issue.
From there I learned how the clothes I wear often are made by children in abusive sweatshops, that the cell phone I use has connections to guerilla squads that terrorize and rape women, that the chocolate I eat was grown by children trafficked into slavery, and that the energy I use has destroyed communities in Appalachia and Nigeria. My daily life connects me to people around the world, and often my choices inadvertently harm others.
If I wanted to seek justice for them, I needed to start by (slowly) changing habits in my everyday life. As with coffee, I could buy things that had been fairly produced, seeking alternatives to oppressive systems. But I could also use my power as a consumer to send letters to companies and the government telling them that I care about how those who produce the goods I consume are treated. My everyday life would continue, but I wanted to make sure that even in the small things I choose to pursue the paths of justice and love
My life is crazy, and it would have been easy to think that seeking justice is one of those things I’d get around to one of these days. But seeing the connections in my everyday life to worldwide justice issues changed me. I realized that I had no choice but to start seeking justice for others since I was already so intimately connected with the injustices they experience. It just took figuring out the small everyday ways that I could integrate justice into my life to start that journey.
Posted by Caryn Rivadeneira on December 23, 2009
Comments
Julie
You call yourself a "Church Leader."
Just wondering how you reconcile the use
of the word “leader” With what Jesus said in Mt 23:10.
The word “leader”seems like a “high place.” Yes?
Jesus always took and recommended the “low place.” Yes?
Jesus humbled Himself, made himself of no reputation
and took on the form of a servant.
Php 2:7
Jesus in Mat 23:10 told His disciples “NOT” to call
themselves master/“leaders”
for you have one master/"leader” the Christ.
King James Version -
Neither be ye called masters:
for one is your Master, even Christ.
The Interlinear Bible -
Nor be called leaders,
for one is your leader the Christ.
Phillips Modern English -
you must not let people call you leaders,
you have only one leader, Christ.
Today's English Version -
nor should you be called leader.
your one and only leader is the Messiah.
The Amplified-
you must not be called masters ( leaders )
for you have one master ( leader ) the Christ.
Jesus told His disciples not to be
called "leaders" and none did.
Ro 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ...
Php 1:1 Paul and Timotheus,
the servants of Jesus Christ...
Col 4:12 Epaphras, who is one of you,
a servant of Christ...
Tit 1:1 Paul, a servant of God...
Jas 1:1 James, a servant of God...
2Pe 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant...
His disciples "all" called themselves "servants,"
none called themselves "leaders." None? None.
None called themselves "servant-leader." None.
If Jesus instructed “His disciples” NOT
to call themselves leaders
and someone calls them self a "leader"
or thinks they are a "leader;"
Are they a "disciple of Christ?"
Just wondering. Be blessed.
Posted by: A. Amos Love on December 28, 2009
Dear A Amos,
Honestly...the only thing you could take away from this "leadership" blog is a criticism, ad infinitum, re: calling yourself a leader?!!! You must misunderstand the point of leadership. Yes, it is a higher place...more accountability, more responsibility. Do you honestly believe it sinful to call yourself a leader?
Mickey
Posted by: mickey on January 1, 2010
Dear A Amos: A leader is simply someone who is in a position of influence. If that's the case, most of us would be classified as leaders...whether we have a career or are wives and moms. We all have influence whether we asked for it or not. I, too, am curious why out of an article regarding justice, you picked out one "speck" to concentrate on. Time would have been better served applying the words of Jesus to love your neighbor. This article hits the nail on the head for me because I've been reading The Hole in the Gospel by Richard Stearns. Very convicting! I appreciate Julie's words here very much and am seeking to find what my part should be in seeking justice for others.
One other note to A Amos: Best not to end a comment with "be blessed" after you've scathingly rebuked someone. Somehow, that just doesn't seem truthful.
Posted by: Annette on January 7, 2010
Julie,
Your opening comments immediately grabbed my attention as this seems to be my life. I do have one major concern. You mentioned that you read and were inspired by Shane Claiborne and others like him. You may want to reconsider and seriously pray about those from whom you seek inspiration and encouragement as Mr. Claiborne is a major player in the Emergent Church movement.
In Christ,
Mindy
Posted by: Mindy on January 11, 2010
Thanks for this. I, too, am inspired by people like Shane Claiborne, but I often feel like it's "all or nothing." Thanks for this reminder that justice is really just small things, too.
Posted by: Julie on January 11, 2010
hello,, I am not a wide reader or most of the time when I open net blogs and others I dont often read the entire story but this time i w3as able to finish reading,, it inspired me so much,, it change my minmd setting and the way I think ,, I felt guilty with i am doing..
thank u for posting,, it change my life... change my life ,,,,
Posted by: Marivic on January 13, 2010
This is an issue I struggle with - finding reliable information and making changes that will work for my family. We live in such a global marketplace, yet so many of us (myself included)have grown up so ignorant of the implications of such interconnectedness. As I've been reading through the OT prophets, I think that in these ways more than many others, we Americans are guilty of sinning against the poor of our world - through structural injustices we support with our money, and care not to see. Thanks for the encouragement to keep seeking to do something about it.
Posted by: greenmom on January 15, 2010
I struggle with this issue - finding reliable information and making changes that work for my family. We live in such a global marketplace, and I grew up very ignorant of the implications of that interconnectedness.
The more I read of the OT prophets, the more I'm convicted of my guilt, and that of our nation collectively in sinning against the poor of our world by unwittingly supporting structural injustice with our money, and turning our eyes away from its results. Thanks for the encouragement to continue seeking to do something about it.
Posted by: Greenmom on January 15, 2010
for A.Amos, let us respect and humble ourselves for those people who are chosen by GOD. not all people are lips, not all are hands, we have different function, in a church there must always somebody to stand(lead) and obeyed, if we cannot obey them how will we obey Christ? wherein they are trusted by GOD to stand(lead) and inspire people like what Christ Jesus did.
A GOOD LEADERS ARE THOSE WHO ARE FIRST AND FOREMOST GOOD SERVANTS.
Posted by: ABBY CORAL on January 22, 2010
Julie,
Thank you for your thought-provoking, extremely well-written post. You raise many points which I intend to explore further as I continue my attempts at understanding (and, dare I say it, leading others in understanding) and living the ethic of Jesus, who said, "Follow me..."
Lorrie (Believer, Wife, Mother,Church Leader)
Posted by: Lorrie on January 26, 2010