July 2022

           “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere…Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly…Anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider anywhere in this country.” (MLK Letter from the Birmingham Jail)

           Reverend King saw injustice in our country and worked to end it and it ultimately caused the violent end of his life. These words written on April 16, 1963 are as relevant today as they were when his pen was put to paper. We should all look around us with open eyes and see the injustices in our society and the injustices around our world. We should all work tirelessly to eradicate it from our lives and our society.

           This is not just a political aim; it is the aim of Christ for his followers. As such, it should be the aim of all who follow Jesus and call him Lord and Savior.

           God has told us this through the prophets. Jeremiah 22:3, “This is what the Lord says, ‘Do what is just and right.’” Micah 6:8, “And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

           Jesus warns us that our brothers and sisters are what should be foremost on our minds. Matthew 23:23, “You give a tenth of your spices…But you have neglected the more important matters of the law – justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter without neglecting the former.”

           Paul gives these instructions to God’s church on earth. Romans 15:2, “Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.” And Peter, an apostle of Christ wrote, “They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it.”

           As Christians our faith tells us to live in peace and to fight against injustice. We are to love each other as Jesus loves each of us. We may not agree with or understand every one we encounter but that should never prevent us from treating them as our God tells us to.

           We live in a world with people from all different countries and cultures, people who live a variety of lifestyles. It is not a Christian’s job to point at someone and say “You are sinning.” It is a Christian’s job to say to someone, “I am a sinner with no chance of peace with God; let me tell you what Jesus did for me.”

           It is for all Christians to remember and to live by the great commandments our Lord himself gave us, to love God above all else and to love our neighbors above ourselves.

Pastor Jim