“There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither
feared God nor cared about people. A widow of that city came to him
repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my
enemy.’ The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to
himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, 5 but this woman is
driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is
wearing me out with her constant requests!’ Then the Lord
said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. Even he rendered
a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to
his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them
off? I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son
of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?” Luke
18:2-8
I learned a new acronym the other day. SJW. It
means Social Justice Warrior, and for the most part refers to the new
generation lashing out against corruption in government and “big business,” and
seeking equality for people of all walks of life. Think the Hippie Generation
of the new millennia. Not that this is a bad thing – depending on your
political bent you will support or deride some SJW movements of today. The key
word here, however, is “political.” SJW has become an acronym for those
fighting for “justice” in the political realm.
Social justice is a term, and a movement, which
has been around a lot longer than this current generation. Many would say Jesus
was a social justice warrior, commissioning His followers to feed the poor, clothe
the naked and give hope to the hopeless. When I read today’s passage, my focus
kept returning to the word “Justice.” Read the passage again. Jesus never says
that if we petition long enough to God, with faith, He will grant our every
wish. He says that He will “grant justice to them quickly.” What does this
mean? If I pray for a way to get my car repaired, or for better health, why
would I want something as intangible as “justice?”
The dictionary partly defines justice as “just
behavior or treatment… fairness, equity, honesty, morality.” It’s used in
conjunction with peace, and a genuine respect for people. The woman in Jesus’
story demands justice for her dispute. The judge eventually relents, but note
that he is going to “see that she gets justice.” Not that he will necessarily
side with her. If justice is fairness and equity, and what she is asking for is
reasonable and fair, he will side with her. If she is wrong, perhaps simply out
to get her enemy, the judge may side with the other party, because he is going
to give justice, not grant her wish.
This story has always given me a sense of peace,
that if I ask God for anything enough times, He’ll give it to me. Perhaps being
prayerfully perseverant is part of the story’s meaning. Again, though, Jesus says God “will grant justice to them
quickly,” not give them what they want. Along with the commission to spread the
Gospel, to love everyone around us as we are loved, Jesus also commissioned the
Church to feed the poor, care for the sick and infirm, visit the prisoners and
love the unloved. All of us are commissioned to be an SJW, the way Jesus
intended it and the way He lived it Himself. We’re all equal in His eyes, after
all.
PRAY
Lord, open our eyes to see Your Scripture in new ways every time we read.
May we pray unceasingly for Your justice, and show us how to live it out in the
world around us. Help us to filter through the noise of the world and live in
line with Your holy will.
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