DAILY DEVOTION, January 7, 2022

He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8, NRSV).

Justice is a much larger and more complicated concept than kindness. Kindness is an individual act. I see a person in need, and, like the Good Samaritan, I try to help. That is kindness. Justice, on the other hand, is the passion that followers of Jesus have for doing what we can to improve wider society – – – especially that they have the opportunity to hear the Gospel and find salvation through Jesus.

There is a difference between acts of kindness and doing justice. Kindness is providing counseling for a woman depressed after having an abortion. Justice is working to change the law so that unborn children have the right to life. Kindness is giving fish to a hungry man. Justice is teaching him how to fish so he can care for himself.  Unfortunately, I fear that often in the church, we are content to be kind. Kindness is great. It is the first step in following Jesus, but it is only the beginning of that journey. It is the bare minimum. We are to love kindness, but we are also to do justice.

Gracious God, help me to see where I can promote justice. Yes, I want to do individual acts of kindness, but I also want to promote justice in the wider society. I am only one person, but if I can promote justice in my world,  guide me, for Jesus’ sake, Amen.