“God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied” (Matthew 5:6)
These are the opening words of Do Justice: Our Call to Faithful Living. But what is “justice” and why compile a book about it as editors Nathan Brown and Joanna Darby have done? Take the time to browse through the book and the answers will become clear:
- Justice is a biblical concept central to God’s vision of a world not only created but also living in His image;
- Justice—as an experienced, living thing—is also as complex and diverse as the number of people on this planet.
What the editors have done with Do Justice is to effectively and compellingly address both these statements. Their approach has been to pull together the wisdom of a diverse group of 26 people for whom justice is a passion, harnessing their thoughts, experiences and advice into a cohesive whole.
Authors such as Kendra Haloviak Valentine and Ty Gibson explore that foundational nature of justice to our faith and indeed our existence. Dwight Nelson and Lowell C Cooper, among others, explore the nexus of faith and justice in the context of the church and its beliefs. Lisa Clark Diller and Zivayi Nengomasha join their voices with those of others seeking to make justice an intentional part of their lives. And another group, including Tim Gillespie, Ella Smith Simmons and Mindi Wiygul, share guidance from their own experiences of justice in practice.
In the end, the problem with justice is not doing it. It is the assumption that it has been done. Injustice-sensing equipment is strongly embedded in all of us. From childhood, we intrinsically know when we are being treated unfairly. The problem is that our sensor is unbalanced, much more finely tuned to injustice directed at us than it is to injustice toward others. Jesus calls His people to do justice by loving others as we love ourselves. I believe that reading Do Justice will inspire, encourage and equip you to do just that.
Find out more about the Justice work of ADRA
Buy the book from HopeShop.com or as an eBook (Amazon)
