Responding to Injustice

It's been nearly ten years since the twin towers were brought down in a focused act of hatred and hostility, when terrorists planned and executed a horrific slaughter of innocent citizens on U.S. soil. We still recoil at the thought. We are still shocked. Back then the immediate response was outrage, anger, hatred, an outcry for retribution, judgment on the guilty. With one accord we called for swift and sudden justice. Our desire for revenge mixed with our grief over such great loss. September 11, 2001 stands as the singular example of injustice in our generation. With it we come face to face with our own sinfulness, fear and lack of justice; and all the things we struggle with in our lives amidst our desire for justice to be served.

How we respond to injustice is a good barometer of our spiritual health (and maturity as well). How we respond to little injustices is a good gauge of how we will respond to bigger ones. Our first inclination is always to fight back with every weapon in our arsenal. Insulted? We grab for a ground-leveling comeback. Cheated? We wait begrudgingly for the score to be tied. Injured? We demand restitution. We want to inflict pain, retaliate. Our knee-jerk reaction is to hate. Many still hold hostage certain ethnicities or types and classes of peole, hating them for what someone who looks like, acts like or speaks like them did. Even now, our country is riddled with ethnic and caste-like inequities.

Matthew 14:1-12 gives us a peek into what depths of depravity sinful man can go and in it we see how to respond in a godly way to injustice. It may be hard for us to take but it is here for us to learn from. Herod the tetrarch, the Roman ruler who happened to be reigning over the territory Jesus ministered in, a ruler over one fourth of his father Herod the Great's kingdom, was guilty of committing great injustice against many: most notably his former wife, half brother, current wife, step-daughter and John the Baptist. He is superstitiously fearful that John, whom he had killed, had come back to life in the person of Jesus Christ. He has heard of Jesus' works and wrongly concludes that Jesus is in fact John risen from the dead. What follows is a flashback account of Herod's fearful, fallen actions in killing John.

Blatantly absent in the biblical record is any word of John's followers retaliating. Missing is any account of them fighting for their fallen comrade's honor. They quietly bury him and then go on with their lives. This speaks volumes to me. I want to even the score on infinitely less. It tells me that the correct response to injustice dovetails with Jesus' Sermon on the Mount teaching of turning the other cheek and non-retaliation. This runs contrary to human nature. Pride makes us cowards and just as guilty as our oppressors. Faith makes us friends of God who do what honors Him most.

Here are a few ideas I have gleaned relating to responding to injustices, both great and small. Instead of desiring revenge,

1. Desire above all to experience God's glory in your life. Force yourself to focus on God's glory rather than the blinding rage that leads to further injustice. When injustice strikes God's mercy flows. He has compassion for the harassed and helpless. He has compassion for the human condition. He empathizes and understands. A clear view of our wretchedness highlights the breathtaking vistas of God's glory, that overshadows the misery brought on by sin. (See Isaiah 6 and Exodus 33:12-33 for examples of Isaiah's and Moses' experience with this. See 2 Corinthians 3 for the gospel tie-in).

2. Desire purity of life. The murder of John the Baptist could have become for his followers an occasion of stumbling in sin, letting unbelief, fear, anxiety, doubt and discouragement rule. But this was not the case. Their silence indicates they kept focused on truth. Herod was bold-faced and hardened to God and proudly proclaimed his guilt in John's murder. True believers tender-heartedly and humbly confess their guilt in Christ's death and thankfully proclaim their faith in His shed blood on their behalf. Because He died we can live. Because He lives, by the Holy Spirit's enabling we can live lives that are pleasing to Him. (See 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12 for encouragement to live a life pleasing to God.)

3. Desire for others to enter into life. Stay focused on your mission. Keep doing what God has called you to do. For John the Baptist it was speaking the truth unafraid, in hopes that the lost would repent of their sin and believe. (See Colossians 1:28-29 for Paul's passion in
preaching the gospel so that others might know Christ.)

These things are not new to those of faith. They point to the ancient path of trust in God. The prophet Micah prophesied around 700 B.C. of God's coming judgment on those who perpetrated injustice. In a time of prosperity, the wealthy were oppressing the poor. The prophet spoke God's message of warning mingled with hope. While there is no hope for any apart from God's salvation, there would be a day of peace, brought on by the Prince of Peace, the royal deliverer that would be born in Bethlehem. He would shepherd His people. Protecting them, He Himself would be their peace. All human injustice pales in comparison to our cosmic treason against God. By faith, instead of justice we receive mercy (see Ephesians 2). Micah 6:8 shows what God requires. "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness (mercy), and to walk humbly with your God?" We know we cannot do this. We are unable. We pronounce woe upon ourselves when we realize our true condition. But there is mercy and forgiveness with Him. (See Micah 7:1-20)

Do we who demand justice really know what we are asking for in light of our own sins? Jesus took all the wrath our sins deserved. The cup He drank, the hour He endured, was not just the pain and agony of crucifixion, but the horrible weight of anti-glory, the burden of all sins ever committed or to be committed. At the cross the bowl full of the wrath of God was poured out unmercifully on Jesus, so that the elect could escapee wrath and experience God's mercy. Because Jesus responded to injustice we can receive His mercy.