Archive for June, 2008

Towards a Biblical Priority of Justice

Published
by
enoch
on June 12, 2008
in Social Responsibility, Theology and Uncategorized
. 0 Comments

The commandment states that we should have no other gods before the one true God. Anything that has greater value than God is an idol. What of the idolatry of justice?

This may seem odd, as much of the OT idolatry led to a lack of justice and oppression of the poor. But since anything that is takes higher value in one’s life can be an idol, then it follows that even a passion for justice can be idolatry. (Indeed all these also become idols when valued more than God: ministry, evangelism, worship of God, etc.)

So, perhaps it would be wise to learn to evaluate oneself before the Lord. Do I pursue justice more or less passionately than I pursue God? Do I pursue God because the Christian view of God firstly fits my passion for justice? Or, does my passion for justice flow from and inform my view of God– the God of justice?

Again, the same goes for other enterprises. One could ask a worship leader, “What do you love more: Worshiping God or God Himself?”

I do not want to split hairs. I agree that it’s not so simple as saying “I love God therefore I cultivate His love for justice.” As N.T. Wright argues in his book Simply Christian, the hunger for justice in the world is an echo that we were meant for a different world, one under the loving rule of a just God. But at the same time, Christians must be clear about the priority of justice.

Justice implies the proper administration of the law, rewards, and punishments. Justice means all sinners should be punished, including this writer. Let us be humble as we cry out for justice and denounce the injustice we see around us. Let us first humbly absorb the notion that we justly deserve punishment.

But beyond that, God is a god of justice and mercy. Those two ideals are not at odds or in competition in the mind of God. God is not agonizing over which of those two are more important. In God justice and mercy are in perfect harmony. No tension. I readily admit I cannot understand that. But God has given finite minds an embodiment of justice and mercy in Jesus and the cross…..

Practically, I would ask this of myself: do I love doing justice more than I love God? If so, then let me not diminish my passion for justice. Rather, let my pursuit of justice be ever more tempered, informed, and humbled by my pursuit of God.

Leadership Lesson

Published
by
enoch
on June 12, 2008
in Leadership, Ministry and Observations
. 0 Comments

At this point in my life, my leadership responsibilities include leading those who lead other leaders. Or, to lead people who will lead people who will lead people; great-grandchildren-leaders. That means the people I directly lead are more likely very capable leaders themselves. They make good decisions with sophisticated thought processes and values. But at times I still disagree with their choices. And since the responsibility of those decisions ultimately fall to me, I have asked some of my leaders who I oversee to do things my way.

But if the only time I disagree with my subordinate leaders are the times I feel strongly and assert my authority, then I begin to send a wrong message. The wrong message I begin to send is this: I don’t trust you. If you and I don’t see eye to eye, I’m going to ask you to do things my way.

I’m learning that it’s encouraging and empowering to tell the leaders I oversee things like, “I want you to know that I disagreed with your decision, and I still do. But I want to work through you, respect your leadership in this area, and give you opportunities to make choices that may even be mistakes. So even thoguh I disagree with you, I can still support you as you proceed down this path.

I hope it’s clear that these disagreements are not over moral, ethical, or fundamentally core issues. Those are worth asserting. But I’m learning it encourages my leaders to know that I did let them follow paths I would not recommend. It shows then that I am willing to trust them, to give them the chance to do something different, to take acceptable risks, and believe that I do not always have the right answer. (Far from it!)

So, I told one of the leaders under me today: That’s not the play I’d call, but I leave the decision to you. It’s your call and within these ethical and theological parameters, I’ll support your plan.

You might call this encouragement by disagreement.