Neighbor Groups: Seek Justiceنموونە

Bring Justice Inside

The package of justice is back. Today, let’s bring it inside. After all, a package left on the front porch is useless. But a package opened and ready to be used can change everything.

God’s justice doesn’t just deserve a place in your faith—justice is the way you display God’s image in public. So decide to step out of your front door, pick up justice, and let it work and reproduce itself in your life and community.

What will that mean for you specifically? It’ll vary for everyone. 

But first, let’s remember what justice does. Justice pursues God’s best for everyone. It’s not about what’s best for a single person. It spreads God’s goodness around the world He created and loves. 

So where do we start? We look to Jesus. We follow the way He lived and loved, which often looks like dismantling oppression and helping people find freedom by building relationships. 

And as we seek justice, it’s not about making ourselves feel better or taking on some sort of heroic role. Jesus does the rescuing; He simply allows and empowers all of us to play a part in His Kingdom mission to restore all things. And as we partake in that mission by loving others, we get to know God better. 

So consider these questions:     

• Are there neighbors in your community who always seem to get the raw end of the deal? If so, by the power of the Spirit living in you and the resources around you, how could you bring more of God’s justice to those situations?     
• Do you have more than you need? More time, talent, resources, influence, opportunity, money, home, or anything? We all have something we can give to God so that He can tip the scales of justice toward people with less.    
• In what ways are you poor, blind, or captive financially, spiritually, culturally, or informationally? You need the Spirit to give you eyes to see the goodness of God as you reflect it to others. What or whom do you need the Spirit to give you eyes to see?    
• Do you feel and comprehend the sins of greed, pride, hate, and racism—and their enduring impact? Do you have empathy and passion to see people freed from generational poverty, paycheck lending, drug addiction, exploitation, mass incarceration, and other systems that can become tainted by oppression?     
• What pain, hang-up, or injustice have you overcome that you can now walk with others through?    
• How will you make room for God’s justice in your family, your friendships, your social media, and your budget?    
• How will you enter into people’s lives who think, look, act, and even believe differently than you?     
• How will you regift justice?    
• How will God’s image consume the way you pray about and understand issues and people in government? What will it mean to make these choices with Jesus’ command to love your neighbor in mind?    
• What do you wish others would do for you? How will you take the initiative, by the Spirit, and do it for them?

God made you an image-bearer, Jesus modeled the way, and the Holy Spirit is with you to help you get it done. As you read and pray today, thank God for the opportunities He is giving you to live out His image in the world. 

Pray: Heavenly Father, You have been so good to me—even in times when I don’t see or believe it. Remind me what You have given me so that I can share it with others. Use me as Your partner in bringing justice to earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Challenge: Reflect on what you’ve learned during this last week. What is one thing you can do today to live out justice in your life? Go do it!

To learn more, start the Neighbor: Embrace Families Bible Plan here, and find the rest of the Neighbor Bible Plans at www.go2.lc/NeighborPlans