A New Definition of Justice
By guest blogger, Roger Peer
Note: Roger wrote this reflection after a trip to the Dominican Republic where he served with ICC, a Network church in the capital city of Santo Domingo.
Micah 6:8 says: Do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with your God.
My definition of justice had always been some sort of “righteousness or consequence” idea. In leadership my definition was a sense of keeping things going in the right direction, “the rules of community”, or something like that. I think my evangelical background tied justice to God’s perfect justice which was overcome by Christ’s sacrifice of perfect love for us.
But the linkage between justice and mercy in this verse never made sense to me.
But here, at ICC in the Dominican Republic , I saw clearly for the first time that justice was about each of us having the same rights, the same reception, the same love, the same presence with Father God.
We all are sons and daughters of the same King. And if my brother or sister is in trouble, I am to love them with Mercy. I saw it with you, my new Dominican brothers and sisters. I saw you live it in your ministry to the homeless, I sense it in your love for each other. I feel it in your love and acceptance of us, of me, into your community.
When I see your justice practiced with such love and mercy, it is a true gift to me. It humbled me to be with you. I walk humbly with my God, home to Chicago , more rightly motivated to live DOING justice.