God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment: “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah Give justice to the weak and the orphan; maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”
They have neither knowledge nor understanding; they walk around in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
I say, “You are gods, children of the Most High, all of you; nevertheless, you shall die like mortals and fall like any prince.”
Rise up, O God, judge the earth, for all the nations belong to you! ~ Psalm 82
Over and over and over again, the Bible makes the relationship between justice and those on the margins clear.
Justice for the weak. The needy. And that includes the suffering, the alien, the orphan, the dispossessed.
Arguments have been thrown back from one side of the political aisle to the other about whether we are a Christian nation or not. I'm sure you have your feelings about it, as do I.
The things we tend to use as criteria for our status as "Christian" include things like abortion, LGBTQ rights, war, gun rights, etc.
But scripture's criteria for what it means to be a nation that follows God is clear: give justice to those who are left on the outside looking in. Stand in solidarity with the weak and the needy.
Advocate for the poor.
Show hospitality to the alien.
Care for the sick.
Following the theme this week, God's concern is for the entire world: all of creation. And when we provide justice to those who don't receive it from the world, then we are sharing in God's concern.
Open my eyes, O Lord, to the plight of those who need. Give them justice in this world, and help me to advocate for them. Amen