The Justice of the Prophets in Our Context Today

(Part Three of Spirit, Love, Justice and Truth)

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(Read this series from the beginning at Part 1 and Part 2.)

What does the justice of the prophets look like in our context, today

Our sacred texts sometimes spell out how to apply the love of neighbor in practice:

It means practicing justice toward migrants:

Leviticus 19:33-34 “When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.

Loving our neighbor as ourselves means loving even the “foreigner” as a “native-born,” and loving them, too, as ourselves.

It means practicing justice toward the poor:

Proverbs 14:31 Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker,

but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.

It means practicing justice toward the young;

Matthew 19:14    Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” 

When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.

It means practicing justice toward the elderly:

Psalms 68:5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,

is God in his holy dwelling.

It means practicing justice toward those who live with disabilities.

Leviticus 19:14    “‘Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the LORD.

It means practicing labor justice:

James 5:4 Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.

In our context today we could expand to include new areas of justice work: environmental justice, gender equity and justice, racial equity and justice, LGBTQ equity and justice, and more!

Justice is also deeply tied to truth-telling. It is difficult to practice justice as a society when we don’t share the same reality, and when some have been misinformed and convinced through appeals to their own bigotries and fears that the reality is different from what is genuinely happening. One passage that gave me chills this week as I wrote this article is from Isaiah 59:

Isaiah 59:14,15: So justice is driven back,

and righteousness stands at a distance;

truth has stumbled in the streets,

honesty cannot enter.

  Truth is nowhere to be found,

and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey.

The LORD looked and was displeased 

that there was no justice.

This year in 2025, however, we choose to be a Jesus’ follower, may we express truth-telling, love and justice for our neighbor, both foreign and domestic. May we renew our commitments to each other and our dedication to taking responsibility to ensure that not just us but also everyone around us has what they need to thrive. This year, more than any other in recent history, it is vital to keep our hand to the plow, continuing the work despite new obstacles of shaping our world into a safe, compassionate, just home for everyone. 

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