Two Step Justice

            “I can’t breath,”  “Black Lives Matter,” “Defund the Police.”  These brief slogans emerging in the protest movement across America express sharply, if inadequately, the Christian, biblical and ethical call for social justice.

            The current national and worldwide uprising with all of its imperfections, can be understood by Christians as God’s call for human justice and righteousness in the way we seek “law and order” in our human society.

            In the biblical story of Jesus‘s encounter with the “rich young ruler” seeking “eternal life,” Jesus, recognizing his true piety and sincerity, called him to (1) throw off the chains of avarice and greed that had guided his life of “success” and to (2) follow the way of empathy, compassion, truth & justice – Jesus way.

            Achieving a “just world” requires individual persons who are willing to give up their social and economic privileges and also willing to work together  as necessary, to achieve justice for others who have been less privileged, just as Jesus had compassion on the poor and “down-trodden” and gave his life for them.

            Following Jesus means: (1) waking up to the corrupting influence of power and wealth; and (2) banding together to achieve equal opportunity and justice for all of God’s people.

            This is “two step justice:” giving up the personal privilege of “Whiteness” and working  - taking action- for those, especially people of color, denied access to justice and equal opportunity.