Do Justice, Love Mercy

Today in chapel we had Heather Larson who is the head of Compassion and Justice at Willow Creek. She talked about five commitments that we as Christ followers should make. These are commitments she challenges the Willow Creek community with, and they are challenges to me, too!

I will see: I will see others. I will refuse to be ethnocentric, comfortable and remain in blissful ignorance of the needs around me. I will not be lulled into comfort, or refuse to learn about injustice because it feels overwhelming. Even when I see painful, difficult things, I will not shut my eyes.

I will feel: I will allow my heart to be broken for the things that break the heart of God. Jesus saw the pain and need of the world, and he had compassion. I will not just harden my heart to issues of injustice around me, I will allow myself to be moved with compassion.

I will have courage to act: I will not just see and feel, but I will act. God moves to action at the pain and suffering of the world, and I will join him in that action.

I will empower: I will be humble. I will come along side what others are already doing, I will humble myself to realize that I don’t have all the answers, that my way might not be the best way. I will humble myself in order to lift up the gifts and abilities and talents that God has given to someone else.

I will advocate: When I learn about social structural systems that are unjust, I will not be passive, but will work to make a difference. If I don’t act to make a difference, who will? I will use my voice to speak up for those that my society is refusing to hear.

Heather asked us to consider who it was in our society that we refuse to hear. In her community it is undocumented workers.

Who is it we refuse to hear in South Africa?

Who is it in your community?

Can we all have the courage to make these commitments so that their voices can be heard?