Doing Justice and Loving Mercy: Compassion Ministries, Mentor's Guide, MG16

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D O I N G J U S T I C E A N D L O V I N G M E R C Y : C O M P A S S I O N M I N I S T R I E S

This text reveals that within the Law and its self-understanding, some things are weightier than others: justice, mercy, and faithfulness are considered by our Lord to be the things that matter most. This is confirmed in the fact that as early as the pre-exilic prophets, the will and word of God was plainly interpreted to show how certain national disasters occurred in Israel as a transparent sign of God’s righteous judgment against his people, elementally for two distinct and interlocking reasons: for rank idolatry and for failure to do justice and love mercy among those most needy and vulnerable (e.g., Amos 4-8; Hos. 4-10; Jer. 2-8). What we are seeking to establish now is a way in which we can expand our understanding of these concepts to include our responsibility not merely for our own families and congregations, not merely for our own neighborhoods and cities, or even our own regions or nations. To truly be a world Christian is to be concerned about the needs of the poor throughout the entire earth, to feel a sense of personal burden and responsibility for all who suffer wherever they are, and a desire to contribute to the advance of the Kingdom in all places needing to see and hear of the justice and righteousness of Jesus Christ in their own midst. As in all previous lessons, your attention to the objectives will be strategically important. Because of the breadth of ideas and concepts covered in this lesson, you will want to clearly state and patiently cover these aims throughout the lesson, and especially remind the students of them during the discussions and interaction with them. The more you can highlight the objectives throughout the class period, the better the chances are that they will understand and grasp the magnitude of these objectives. This devotion highlights one of the critical obligations and manifestations of authentic spirituality: overwhelming, hilarious generosity. One recurring flaw we can unfortunately fall prey too is equating ritualistic regularity with the kind of open-hearted, open-handed generosity and care that is characteristic of all true spiritual reality. Once the life and power of God has come into the hearts and lives of his people, so does an overwhelming impulse to give, to serve, to be hospitable.

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