Seek Justice, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly

Day 1 of 3: Seek Justice

By Luther Young, Board Member | He, Him

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)

From Q Christian Fellowship Conference Ethos:
We strive to be a movement towards oneness where all belong unconditionally; We seek justice in every sphere knowing that all have inherent worth.

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The Bible is replete with stories outlining God’s commandment to advocate for the oppressed and about God’s punishment when humans fail to care for those in need. Throughout his ministry, Jesus demonstrated concern for people who were poor, sick, and otherwise disenfranchised by society. Even when it contradicted religious laws, Jesus’ first and foremost priority was the needs of people. We, the followers of Christ, should also embody this compassion for the oppressed. To do this, we must move beyond mere sympathy—that is, feeling sorry for oppressed people—and embrace true empathy, such that their pain becomes our pain, and their struggle becomes our struggle.

God is justice.

Starting from that point, we see that we cannot remain solely fixated on our own liberation. We cannot be exclusively focused on personal salvation that we completely ignore collective salvation and universal liberation. It is not enough to say, “I am a good person” simply because I do not go out of my way to make life difficult for others. Rather, being a good Christian entails going out of our way to make someone else’s life more meaningful. We must understand that our own liberation (and dare I say, our own salvation) is contingent upon the liberation of others—that none of us are free until all of us are free.

To know God is to know justice.

In Matthew 25:40, Jesus says, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” In every space we enter, we should ask ourselves, who are the least of those among us? It is imperative that we consider the needs of people of color, trans and gender-nonconforming individuals, persons of differing abilities, children and the elderly, the economically disadvantaged, and those who live at the intersections of multiple marginalized identities. We must always be concerned with the most oppressed people in our communities and, like Jesus, make their needs a priority. Doing so not only aligns with the life and teachings of Christ, but also touches the very heart of God.

To know justice is to see God in other people.

We must take a close look at ourselves and consider how we are living into God’s commandments of love, compassion, and justice. In order to bring about justice for the oppressed, we may need to relinquish some of our own comforts in order to ensure that all of our siblings are cared for. Nevertheless, there is no personal possession or material comfort that can compare to the joy of witnessing the liberation of another. Because, just as their pain is our pain and their struggle is our struggle — their rejoicing calls for us to rejoice, too. This is the kin-dom of God.

Thus, to see God in other people is to see God in ourselves.

Contemplate this simple prayer:
God, thank you for the gift and call of justice. Help me see justice in You, experience justice in my relationships, and seek justice in this world.

Queer Christian Fellowship

Day 1 of 3: Seek Justice

By Luther Young, Board Member | He, Him

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