Seek justice.
Help the oppressed.
Defend the cause of orphans.
Fight for the rights of widows."
Isaiah 1:17
reread the above verse.
slowly.
out loud.
maybe even twice.
how are we doing?
the we being followers of
the One who spoke the words.
and that includes me.
how am I doing?
time for honesty.
I am not doing a very good job.
and honesty hurts.
now what about the collective we?
probably not a whole lot better.
and I write that not in
judgement. to me it
seems to be reality.
and I would have to say,
(as in my opinion)
especially those who fall
(sometimes literally)
into the category
of oppressed.
oppressed.
persecuted.
downtrodden.
exploited.
abused.
maltreated.
repressed.
enslaved.
crushed.
crushed.
crushed. and a verse comes to mind:
"But He was pierced for our rebellion,
crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
He was whipped so we could be
healed."
Isaiah 53:5
Kingdom.
Jesus was living Kingdom.
Jesus was Kingdom.
Jesus is Kingdom.
and Kingdom is now.
Jesus was not popular in His day.
in fact, He had a good number of
enemies.
who did He hang out with?
who did He eat with?
I would dare to say
many fell under
oppressed.
Jesus became one of us to die for
every. single. life. ever. lived.
and ever will live.
never does He
look at race or religion
or economical status or gender
or color or creed or occupation
or citizenship or lack thereof
or any other label the world has.
and the world, I would have to say,
includes many of us who identify
ourselves as Christ followers.
Christians.
for is it not
often convenient
to lump people into
categories consisting of numbers?
(perhaps even with a bit of pride?)
oh but we must remember
that Jesus has no numbers
engraved on His hands...
He. Has. Only. Names.
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