What is social justice?

Social justice, at its core, is the idea that all humans should have the same rights and opportunities.  It is the basic belief that we are all created equal and that each life has value.  What people forget is this basic belief is given to us “under God”, not under man. It seems the real definition of social justice would work just fine if we all still lived in the time of Malachi.  But, we don’t.

We live in a world that has twisted the truth that God has created us all in His image.  God sent his only son into this world to become one of us and die for all of us.  There are no exceptions to this truth.  Jesus Christ came to save us regardless of gender, race, or economic status.   Salvation is available to everyone.  We simply need to turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.

It is a parent’s job to educate their children.

They can explain the dynamics of social justice by using examples of what God teaches and how the world distorts his Word.  Let’s take a look at the example of racial Injustice:  No one should be discriminated against because of their race or ethnicity.

From Samuel 16:7: “But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

This is a beautiful verse!  However, the words have been distorted. When groups like Black Lives Matter claim to promote racial equality but do not have altruistic intentions.  Did not one God create all of us? How much love for another race or ethnicity can you have if you riot and use violence under the precept of equality?  Children need to be taught to look beyond the bandwagon of protest rallies, fist pumps, and chants. 

We are thirsting for equality.

True equality is remembering God made us in his own image. He commands us to love one another because we are human beings with a soul, not because someone tells us to because their skin is a different color.  Did not one God create all of us? From Proverbs 11:1:  “A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight.”

“White privilege” is sometimes attached to racial injustice.  This notion is manmade and not of God. Over the years, prejudiced employment laws, government programs, and segments of the education system have created barriers for those of a different race.  These prejudiced policies have broken down our social system and have divided rather than united.  Instead of taking a stand and eradicating the injustice created by man, “white privilege” has become the scapegoat and is presented as a way to unify.

In reality, through stereotyping and profiling, “white privilege” actually becomes a part of the racial inequality equation.  From Proverbs 22:2:  NIV “The rich and the poor have this in common: the Lord is the maker of them all.” 

As a parent, it is sometimes difficult to reiterate the real message of social injustice because pop culture and the “now” generation celebrates the superficial rather than genuine spirit of our faith in Jesus Christ.

We need to continue to ask,

“Did not one God create all of us?”