Reflections on JusticeNäide

I can summarise the message of Galatians 6:1-10 in three words: mercy, empathy, and justice.

In my experience within the Church, I’ve noticed that when newcomers join, there’s often a concerted effort to help them with their struggles or guide them toward salvation through repentance. However, I’ve also witnessed how the enemy, in his craftiness, has caused even great leaders or steadfast members of church congregations to stumble and fall.

This has deeply saddened me, but even more disheartening can be the lack of those willing to practise Galatians 6:1: ‘Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.’

In verses 9 and 10, God calls us to be just – not in a judgemental sense, but in a way that seeks to restore those who have stumbled. We are called to be just in the sense that if we have received forgiveness from the Lord, we should also extend forgiveness alongside mercy, empathy, and justice.

Challenge: Let’s not become discouraged or tired of doing good despite others’ faults. Along the way, we’ll encounter people who stumble, but we must remember to love the sinner while hating the sin. Continue to live out the righteousness of the Lord, and in due time, we will receive heavenly rewards.

Prayer: God, grant us hearts full of love so that we may be people who lift others up. Forgive us when our human sense of righteousness leads us to condemn. May our sense of justice from now on mirror yours, filled with compassion.