Do you rulers indeed speak justly? Do you judge people with equity? (Psalm 58:1, NIV)
Where I grew up, in northern California, Bobby Clampett, who is a few years older than I am, was a legend among us junior golfers. Clampett went on to a strong collegiate career, won on Tour, and worked a good stretch as a course reporter for CBS. Now he spends the bulk of his time with his instruction company, Impact Zone.
This isn’t an advertisement for Bobby’s teaching method, but it is important to note that what Bobby has done through his instruction is to emphasize the central moment of the golf swing: impact. If you’re not where you need to be at impact, your ball is not going to be where you want it to be when it comes back to earth.
To the Lord, championing justice is a way of showing quite vividly that “God does not show favoritism.”Impact, then, reveals much about our swing. Are we on the correct path? Is the face square? Is your weight in the right place? Is the clubhead speed increasing as you get to the ball?
With similar alignment, our commitment to justice reveals much about us as well.
Perhaps, though, we should begin by stressing how much God speaks of justice in his Word. It’s no small matter to him, as it arises in the outline of the law and in the words of the psalmists, prophets, and apostles, and of course Jesus himself. Always the definition goes here: Are we caring for those who struggle to care for themselves?
You see, whether we prize and practice justice reveals…
…our honesty. Will we render the truth even when it favors those who are not of our inner circle?
…our deference. Will we do something on behalf of an innocent or weak other when there is no personal benefit in doing so?
…our integrity. Would we do what we are doing when no one is looking, or at least no one “important”?
…our equality. Do we demonstrate the same concern and care for those who cannot pay us back as we do for those who would do anything for us?
It is easy, I fear, to dismiss justice as a political football, something tossed around for the advantage of one side or another. Not in God’s eyes. To the Lord, championing justice is a way of showing quite vividly that “God does not show favoritism,” that his love and salvation are available to all who call on his name (Acts 10:34).
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Jeff Hopper
February 2, 2016
Copyright 2016 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.