‘Strict Justice is Our Ideal’

Friday, January 07, 2011

7:07 PM

18 ‘You must appoint judges and scribes in each of the towns that Yahweh your God is giving you, for all your tribes; these are to mete out proper justice to the people. 19 You must not pervert the law; you must be impartial; you will take no bribes, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and ruins the cause of the upright. 20 Strict justice must be your ideal, so that you may live long in possession of the country given you by Yahweh your God.

The New Jerusalem Bible. 1985 (Dt 16:18–20). New York: Doubleday.

Chapter 16 begins with instructions concerning the Passover Feast and other feasts. At the end of this verse a section concerning ‘judges’ is inserted and seems out of place as verse 17 picks up on ‘abuses of worship’. However, in the historical context, law and religious practice are one and the same.

The call, in this instance, is that those with the authority to appoint judges must appoint individuals that can discern and uphold Yahweh’s teachings regarding ‘righteous judgment”. Individuals that will not pervert the ‘law’, that will be ‘impartial’, and above ‘bribery’. Yahweh understands the human ability to subvert His justice and make judgments that are ‘unfair’ and ‘dishonest’.

This also speaks to our responsibility when we elect officials. Voters have the responsibility in selecting those that will uphold justice and not be influenced by those that make attempts to control agendas through favors, contributions, and bribery.

Finally, verse 20, calls everyone (not just judges) to live lives of ‘strict justice’. We are to make personal, and support corporate, decisions that have the same values of Yahweh’s judges. Those, who are fair, honest, and above corruption upholding values of ‘just action’.

The word ‘justice’ in verse 20 is translated based on the current context of verses 16-20; however in many places this Hebrew word is translated ‘righteous’. Therefore, the call to Israel (all of us) is to make ‘righteousness’ our ‘ideal’. In seeking righteousness in all thoughts and deeds, we then create the opportunity to receive all the blessings that the ‘land’ can provide. This includes that the opposite of not having ‘strict righteousness’ as our ideal denies justice (complete blessing) to all.

One of the ‘attributes’ of Yahweh is that He is ‘just’. This does not mean that He carries out ‘judicial justice’ pronouncing judgments and handing out punishments. It means that Yahweh looks upon us with a personality that has attributes of justice, love, compassion, and mercy as part of His ‘complete’ being. We can trust that Yahweh will make judgments ‘perfectly’, as He can see all aspects of life clearly and makes judgments based on His total character (all attributes are embodied equally). Yahweh’s complete character is visible in Jesus Christ. Through the actions of Jesus we see that, as He said, “I did not come to judge but to save.”

That call goes out to us as individuals, to the Church, to our community, and nation. As a nation we need to remember God’s call to Israel as it guides our own calling. “Strict justice must be your ideal, so that you may live long in possession of the country given you by Yahweh your God.”

What Can We (or What Should We) Pray For!

I was intrigued by Rick Hamlin’s blog I found on the Religion Page in the Huffington Post today, “Is It Okay to Pray for Material Things?” (Read the complete post at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rick-hamlin/is-it-okay-to-pray-for-ma_b_768339.html)

Is it OK to pray for material things was his question with an honest confession that he does pray for material things. Rick makes the contrast between praying for “material” things versus “higher” things like a cure for cancer or a solution to world hunger. Yet, the first thing that came to my mind was isn’t a cure for cancer or solution to world hunger a “material thing”?

How Shoud We Pray?

I suppose the real quest that Rick was asking was: “Is It OK to Pray for Material Things for Me”? And the answer to that question would be, “it depends” on what the motivation behind the petition was.

First, it is OK to pray for anything, even selfish things. An honest conversation with a personal God is both honest and personal. You can pray for that raise or promotion you want. You can pray for a path to purchasing that new car you have been looking at. You can even pray for that home theater system you really want. You might even throw in that petition for solving world hunger and cure for cancer so that God might be more inclined to grant you something for yourself. Of course if you pray for a new car and then figure out a way to get it, you might say a prayer was answered and sign on the dotted line for it with a clear conscience.

Second, all petitions made to God in prayer are for material things. The model prayer that Jesus taught His disciples (we call the Lord’s Prayer) is about material things.

The petition for “daily bread” and “that God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven” is praying for material things. Praying for our own forgiveness as we forgive those who have wronged us is not spiritual but material. All of the petitions Jesus includes in His model prayer are for things in my concrete reality of earthly life.

What is important is for us to understand the motivations behind our prayer petitions. We must always be reminded that our prayer concerns also include those around us (our community) as well as our individual selves. So if I pray for “our” daily bread I include those that I might feed as well as myself or my family. It is not OK for us to pray for our daily bread (my daily bread) at the exclusion of others that I might share my table with.

If I desire God’s forgiveness for my short-comings then I am including my commitment to forgive those that have wronged me. It is not OK if I desire forgiveness at the same time I am lobbying for the punishment of another wrongdoer.

It is not OK to pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven if I am not will to join in the cause to make it happen.

Is it OK to pray for material things? I would have to say absolutely. Yet, always remember that when we pray for things for ourselves we must include our commitment to work for those same things for others. Prayers are serious and so is our commitment to share in making our petition a reality not just for ourselves but for everyone I come into contact with.

Shalom

I was given my first copy of “Cost of Discipleship” by Dietrich Bonhoffer in 1968 and I have been a student of Christian Ethics ever since. I disagree with those older than I am (62) that we need to return to the “good old days” when our culture and life was better. The idea that we have lost our past values is a statement that all older generations make as they get older. However, our current values are similar to those in the past and have evolved form those generations that preceded us.

This blog will attempt to address ethics and specifically Christian Ethics as it relates to current events. Also you will find Articles that may be linked to some posts or they are too long for a blog post. These documents will typically be in a “PDF” format.

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Shalom, Mick