Free To Assist Those In Need

Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. (Isa 1:16-17 KJV)

Living in peace does not always require passivity. There are times when we must be involved in ensuring justice. We cannot just sit by and watch others be harmed. Our in-actions; our passivity can contribute to even more harm to those who are oppressed in any way. However, actively defending those who are oppressed does not mean oppressing others unjustly either. As one defends their own freedom to not be oppressed we must be cautious not to unjustly stand in the way of the freedoms of others.

Each one must look to their own lifestyles to ensure that our activity or our passivity does not advertently or inadvertently stand in the way of freedom and justice for others; that it does not cause harm to others. Just because we can do something  or not do something doesn't mean our actions or in-actions actually promote what is good for ourselves or for those around us.

All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. (1 Cor 10:23)

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Quit With The Evil Deeds Already!

"Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong. Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow." Isaiah 1:16-17 NIV

It amazes me that God would give His only begotten Son as a sacrifice for our sins. Our evil deeds are so numerous that they cannot be counted. So often we do not even bother to do what is right. We may try to pretend that we believe what we is right and just as we go about doing only what feels good for ourselves. We are not prone to seeking real justice only a façade of justice so that we look better in our own eyes and our peers, who are so much like ourselves, that we seek to impress. But, God knows the difference.

There are days when I wonder how our Father in heaven can even stomach humankind. There are day; there are times, when I cannot. I must leave rooms because of the evil deeds that I see being done; albeit, often covertly; but, not always as the evil presence that I feel gets so strong. Most of the time I cannot watch television or listen to the radio as they bombard us with a nasty balm that paralyzes us to the pain of the world. We are not to be paralyzed to the pain of the world. We are to be there for the people around us. We are to be there for the oppressed. We are to take up the cause of the parentless. We are to stand by and support the widow. We are to be there for one another even as Jesus was there and is there for all of us.

We are a sinful lot! Thanks be to God that all who believe in Jesus have been washed cleaned by his blood. It's a tough thing for humans; but, maybe since God was willing to do die for our salvation; maybe we should at least try to keep our hands clean. 

God's Peace - Pr. J