justice...

That seems to be the theme lately...

Heidi's sister was attacked by an unowned cat (which might have rabies). Someone out there isn't taking care of their cat.

Right after that happened, her mother was attacked by a pit bull while walking her dog in the the neighborhood. The kicker is that the people whose dog attacked her, called the dog into the house, got in their car, and drove away. When Linda begged them to call 911, they said the battery was dead on their phone and then sped off. Just found out that there is no law in Michigan making it illegal for a person to flee the scene of a pet attack when their pet is the one who attacked.

A friend of mine is standing by as the owner of the company where he works is making decisions that don't reflect a value in his employees. Guys who have worked there for decades are getting the shaft in a big way.

The conversation in worship on Sunday was about justice...God's perspective on justice.

True justice is birthed in the heart of God...he is the only one who can mete our perfect justice. But it seems like we only get a small taste of it in this life. There is so much injustice in this world.

There are times when I'm tempted to just take care of it. A little waffle with anti-freeze will take care of the pitbull. A little bad pr in the local news might sway a businessman to watch his back. Driving a '78 chevy pickup so that if you sort of tapped that Lexus that cut you off, you wouldn't mind the dent...and they probably would.

But we're not called to mete our justice...at least not our own brand. I'm reminded in so many ways as I encounter God in the Bible that he does call me to be an agent of justice. But not the punishment and wrath part. He'll cover that base someday in his own timing (and he's the only one who can pull it off perfectly). But my calling is to stand against injustice in this world. That plays itself out in many ways:

- racism. I don't have to face it because I was born to a white family. But I can make choices to stand against it when I see it and live it.

- poverty. Though there are some people who make repeatedly bad choices that put them in a situation of poveryt. But there are also systems in democracy/captialism (as there are in every form of government, so my socialist friends shouldn't get too excited here) that keep people in a posture of dependence. I can stand against that and speak against it. I can speak against rampant materialism and live a life of simplicity so as to give away as much as I can to those who have less.

- sexism. It seems like the more sexually liberated our world becomes, the more sexism raises its ugly head. Men who look down on women and make jokes about them...there's not room for that. Women who demean and manipulate men...it's just as injust as the bias they are competing against.

And I'm sure there are other ways that people around me face injustice. That God would work through me to bring about justice in this world. Sure, it's not the full thing, but in a situation that is just, there's a taste of heaven. And any taste of heaven that I can get...I'm there!

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Just spent dinner with our new friends, the Paridos. Kevin, Sara, and Lukas came to enjoy some grilled burgers. Yum! That was a good time.

Got a nice nap today. We played one-on-one defense with the kids. Libby and Heidi slept while Izak and I ran errands. When we got home, the girls went out and the boys took naps. Though it's fun to all be together, it's nice to get some rest.

This Thursday, Heidi's mom (the dog lady) will be coming for a visit. It will be great to see her.

Peace,

Matt