Thoughts on justice

It's been a few weeks since I returned from the Justice Conference in Philly. But many of the thoughts, emotions, and inspirations sit with me as I go back to my new existence in America that I'm still getting used to.

I've been compelled to write about something I've been thinking of for a while.

This Justice movement, so beautiful and brave, and yet how do we make it more than just a fad?
More than something "cool" to get involved with or post on our facebook.

More than something other people will pat us on the back for.

What does love look like when the feelings seep away?

When justice is just, as Gary Haugen says, "A long obedience in the same direction."

When the paperwork, and hospital stays, and endless meetings squelch out that glamorous dream we had of changing lives. Or "saving the world."

When we realize we aren't White Saviors.

Just broken people trying to love on and heal up other broken people.

Above all, justice is commitment. 

When it's not fun anymore. When the heart gets used to seeing terrible things, when the shiny glimmer of thinking I'd just hold beautiful African babies all day, dies away.

Justice is love when it's hard. When the ring gets tarnished over years. When it all seems like more emails to answer, or problems to solve, than picture-perfect moments.

Will we stay when we can't find the reasons anymore. When it doesn't serve us?

Because that's where true sacrifice begins.
Where true love begins.

Somewhere after the novelty wears off.

And we have to tuck deeper and deeper into Jesus to find the love, to give away.

This is not a sprint. It's a marathon. And this is what we must know before we begin.

Justice has to be inside us. Saturating all our relationships. We can't seek to free the sex slave, when we can't offer love to our families, husbands, friends. Or even ourselves.

It has to be our whole person.

Justice is not what is fair. Justice is what ought to be. The redemption of ALL things.

It must be more than the sexy buzz words, than the twitter feed, than Toms shoes.

It requires more tedious acts of love than we know are necessary to bear.

All our staff, all our volunteers, have to move past the rosy-colored version of service, into real life, real pain, real loss, and sometimes real disappointment.

It's the only way to get to real reward.

And it is so worth the fight.

So ask yourself, what are you really ready to sign up for?