Luke 12:1 In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another".... 13 And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. 14 And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? 15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
This passage of scripture teaches us as Christians to avoid the snare or distraction of "Social justice", by which the grievances of the multitudes and disparities between rich and poor take center stage, and end up consuming most of our energies, to the neglect of fulfilling the great commission given to us by Christ. While we are to care for the poor and the less fortunate among us, the issue of social justice is never to lessen the importance of the gospel by any means, for it was sin that got us into this mess in the first place, and therefore the problems we face individually or globally, must be addressed from the perspective of God's ongoing efforts to renew hearts and minds after His divine image.
In the above instance, a man had a dispute with his brother over an inheritance, and he had brought the issue to Christ's attention, hoping for redress. But in his attempt to seek justice, he rudely interrupted Christ's sermon that was being delivered to set the captives free from the bondage of satan and sin, and without any regards to the most urgent spiritual needs of the listeners, he blurted out his own grievances, thus showing a marked degree of insensitivity and selfishness, that was willing to put his own interests above others, no matter what the cost.
Christ's example on this occasion represents a teachable moment for all who are called by His name, for whenever we are tempted to shift our attention to the issue of social justice, we should remember that God did not send us, nor Jesus to address temporal issues primarily, but rather to focus on the spiritual solution He has given us in Christ, for all of our maladies.
This instruction coming from God to us is to be of real value in a world where Christendom is focusing more and more on issues such as green house gases and financial inequity, whilst the weightier matters of the law, such as truth, genuine kindness, and unbiased service to both God and man are left on the back burner. Whenever the issue of social justice arises or erupts in protests and violence across the nation, we should be very careful of being sucked into the melee' because of heightened emotions between various factions and races. This is not merely a suggestion, it is a positive instruction coming from an All Wise God. Let's read:
Ecclesiastes 5:8 If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.
In our day and in our own experiences, tensions between races and very real discrepancies in the administration of social justice seem to be the order of the day, and because of our history, heritage, or culture, we too may be tempted to join in with the mob, and voice our objections in ways that are not approved by God. Let us then be certain to follow the instructions of God to us in these matters, for it's very easy to be distracted by "Good temptations" if we are not very careful.
We therefore end with a passage of scripture which teaches us to be sensitive to the needs and concerns of others, whilst at the same time not being distracted from our mission to seek and save those who are lost. Let's read:
Philippians 2:14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; 16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ".... 21 For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word. God bless!