i think from the time i was little, i have always cared about justice. now, granted, at 5, i cared only that the sandwich was cut exactly even or that if my friend and i wanted to do different things, we did both for a short time. maybe that’s not justice, but on some level, there was a desire for things to just be “right”.
i have found myself lately struggling with a yearning for justice for the children i have met here. they are some of the sweetest, most precious kids i’ve ever encountered, and yet…their lives are so far from ideal. some of these kids live on the street, some at the city dump and some at an orphanage. all of their stories are different, and all include some sense of abandonment, abuse or neglect.
it stirs within me a righteous anger for their justice, and simultaneously inspires me to love them well. to invest in them. to makes sacrifices to ensure i can regularly be a part of their lives.
but, mostly…i yearn for their justice. but i am not their avenger.
scripture reminds me over and over again that the LORD is their avenger, HE will raise up the needy and poor from the dust, HE is their keeper. (psalm 41:1-3, psalm 113:7, psalm 121:5, 7)
just wish my heart could accept that this world is fallen….it will never be perfect…there will always be sin, and those affected by sin. my head understands, but my heart just aches.
please pray for the sweet children i have the honor of spending time with!
Susan, I think the suffering of innocent children is about the hardest thing to understand about the fallen world. I have often thought that when man fell, he fell sooooo far, so far from God’s righteous standard – not just a few feet, but more like from the farthest planet to earth.
This is a really good and insightful post, and I thank you for it.
By: Susie Hawkins on November 1, 2010
at 7:56 am
Hi Susan…I’ve been sitting here trying to think of some smart biblical response to this post…thinking of something about you being out of your comfort zone…something about justice and a sandwich….but all I can really think is how blessed you are to get to experience this righteous anger for the justice for those kids and kids like them all over the world…GOD is using you in a mighty way…thanks for letting us share in the adventure…Patti B.
By: Patti Brown on November 1, 2010
at 8:55 am