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We end the week with a wonderful piece about the essential nature of justice in the covenant community - "An Unsettling God" by Walter Brueggemann
This specific and radical command to do justice is to characterize the whole life of Israel. Such a command, understood as a poignant reflection of YHWH's own way in the world (as evidenced in the exodus), clearly is intrusive in and critical of a life of self-protection, self-sufficiency, and self-indulgence. This mandate marks Israel as a community that practices an intense openness to the neighbor; it balances that openness, moreover, by a keen sense of self-criticism about sociopolitical-economic advantage. That is, the function of these commandments is not to protect acquired advantage, but to call that advantage into question when it does not benefit the community.
We become the people of God to the world by being a people reflective of the God whose love of the world and call to justice brings a new power of life to the community. We are no longer a people who react to the world around us. We take up the day as though we are God's way of shaping the world so that the peace and justice of God's Reign is visible - touchable - as close as a neighbor. I find this segment of this covenant call to justice to be right on point - convicting almost. Convicting in the sense that what is so often see as an advantage to religious people is only advantage as it is used for the welfare of others. We engage the world and leave a mark now. No matter what the powers of the day may be doing and no matter what chaos might reign around us - we seek the welfare of all and break the cycles of death, hatred, and all the other signs of our turned-in-on-selves.
Connection: Lately, I wonder about what needs to be done among us. What can I, as an individual, do to change the welfare of other - right near by.
O God, who takes us up into the ways of justice, mark our lives with your loving kindness and mercy that we will forever turn out to benefit the communities in which we move from day-to-day. Amen. |
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