Chapel Matters

With the seniors gone and the Year 10s at Camp, the Year 7 - 9s are having a special programme this week on Social Justice. Justice is something that is at the heart of who God is, and who we are called to be in this world. People often think that God wants us to be good, or to be nice, and that the way to get into heaven is to be a good person. But God actually isn't really interested in if you have been GOOD.

In the Old Testament book of the prophet Micah, there is a dialogue where someone asks, “With what should I come before the Lord? What does God require of me?” (6.6). The response they receive is this:

“God has told you, O mortal, what is good:

and what does the Lord require of you,

but to do justice, to love mercy,

and to walk humbly with your God.” (6.8)

Doing justice isn't just thinking about how nice the world would be if everyone had equality. It is about actually doing justice in our everyday lives. We might think of people like Greta Thunberg who work for climate justice, or people in organisations like Bellyfull who help support people in Dunedin by providing them with meals. Now, we might not feel as strong or able to be the next Greta Thunberg, but we can think about what we do with our rubbish and recycle. We might not run an organisation like Bellyfull, but we can support them or put items in the food bank collection at the supermarket.

God wants us to do justice, but also to love mercy. Mercy is another word for compassion and kindness. Our motivation for doing these things is something that is important to God – are we just trying to feel good or hoping others notice? God wants us to have hearts that are filled with empathy towards those who are in need, that love animals and the environment, and that appreciate all the good things we have. God wants justice in the world because God loves the world, and we are called to do justice out of love for all the creatures and people in the world.

The third thing we are to do, is to walk humbly with our God. This means we are to let God guide us in what we do, to give us the strength and creativity we need to work for justice, to give us courage when we feel overwhelmed with the issues in the world, and the love and joy we need to keep motivated. If we are walking with God, then we can keep our eyes, ears, minds, and hearts open to what God wants to show us in this world as we walk through it, to listen out for what God wants to say to us, and to be grateful for all that God has given us, alert to what God wants us to do for others.

So what does the Lord require of you?

To do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.