Restoring Justice

“…and the Lord saw it, and it displeased Him that there was no justice.” Isaiah 59:15

A recent article in an education publication defined restorative justice as that which offers a healthy alternative to the traditional disciplinary approach of rules and consequences (Richards, 2018). Yet, the Prophet Isaiah noted that God was displeased that there was no justice and Scripture tells us, “Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment” (Isaiah 59:15, Kings James Version).

In our world today we are bombarded with details of #MeToo movements, gender fluid, child trafficking, increased suicide, genderless babies and random shooting sprees. This news is devastating to read, hear or just know about. It creates a false sense of reality where there are no winners or losers, gender doesn’t matter, marriage has faded, everything goes and authority is becoming ashes buried beneath solid ground. As Christians, we must not only be alert but also aware of what justice is and how the law is being interpreted. What do you recognize as justice? In order for justice to exist, a law must have pre-existed; without a law in place there would be no rules to break.

So how can justice be restored? What is truth? Pilate asked the Jews this basic and simple question. It is one that cannot easily be answered for they chose not to free Jesus who was innocent but Barrabas who was guilty. In order to restore justice Jesus came and freely gave His life so that we may life. It came at a heavy cost and so we as followers of Christ must not only understand but also accept that in a backwards world where wrong is right and right is wrong we are called to be light and salt. “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet” (Matthew 5:13). We restore justice by standing in truth, God’s word is truth.

Beloved, our time here is brief and it is only by drawing near to God that we can fully and clearly understand what His plans are for us. May you always speak truth, may you seek justice and mercy and may God grant you understanding and boldness to endure in the face of opposition knowing that not one hair of your head can fall without Him knowing.