The Plumbline

God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied. (Matthew 5:6) What is justice? As you might well imagine, this term can be quite different depending on the circumstances observed or encountered by the individual you are asking. For a great many, justice is 'situational' - it depends upon the circumstances and the individuals involved. Have you ever shown grace to someone for something and then been harsh on another when they do the same thing? Was that justice? Not likely, but what made the difference in the way you treated them? Was it your mood, the other stuff happening, or perhaps someone that was watching you at that moment? With God, justice is consistent - not dependent upon who's watching, what other 'stuff' is happening - justice is just another word for integrity - God manifests integrity in all his dealings. How do we get to the place of moral consistency in our lives? The place of integrity that God models is our aim, bu...

Seek good and not evil— and live! You talk about God, the God-of-the-Angel-Armies, being your best friend. Well, live like it, and maybe it will happen. Hate evil and love good, then work it out in the public square. Maybe God, the God-of-the-Angel-Armies, will notice your remnant and be gracious. (Amos 5:14-15) I know today's passage was written during Old Testament times, but it bears looking at today. The message doesn't grow old just because of when it was written - those words to seek good and not evil apply to any generation. The hope is that we will not only 'live', but live well. Hating evil and loving good is kind of a moving target for some these days. It is something my college instructors used to call 'situational ethics'. When the 'norms' of society are shifted in one direction or another, the 'ethics' of yesterday may not be the ones we maintain today. I honestly think our world is constantly in a state of flux when it comes to eth...

But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, And don’t take yourself too seriously— take God seriously. (Micah 6:8) On occasion someone will announce to me that they aren't sure what they are supposed to be doing with their lives - they are not certain God is using them, where he wants them to be or go, or that they are 'in his will' in a particular situation. Truth be told, all we have to do is ask God's direction and he is sure to let us know. If we explore scripture, we see examples of both what we are supposed to do in this life and the things we are not supposed to be pursuing. Live honestly - forsake anything dishonest. Avoid the green-eyed monster - be humble and gracious. Don't steal - work for a living. Avoid self-dependence - trust in God's plan. Do - Don't Do - given to us all throughout the s...

Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. ( Ephesians 4:2 NLT ) " I refuse to allow any man-made differences to separate me from any other human beings ." (Maya Angelou) We human beings sure make a lot of differences, don't we? We set apart this from that, making a new category of this or that just by doing so, and wonder in the end why there are so many differences in this world. We only need to look back upon our own actions (and sometimes our inaction) to see how it all came about, but most of us don't like being that "introspective", so we just make excuses for the differences we have created rather than working to break down the walls. " Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope. " (Maya Angelou) We don't fully know what destination we set out toward when we enter relationship with...

Thomas Jefferson is credited with saying, "Whenever you do a thing, act as though the whole world were watching." Wise words, indeed. There is nothing more powerful than considering our actions we might take in the secret places of our lives, or when we don't think anyone will notice, in light of what others would see if they were to observe those actions "out in the open". Sometimes we might even stop in our tracks before we took those intended actions simply because we wouldn't want others to ever see us doing them. When you have ever been in a place with closed circuit cameras all around, were you as inclined to adjust your underwear as you might have been when you were in the "safe place" of your own bathroom? Probably not! Why? You didn't know who was watching! Maybe we'd do well to remember that principle when we take many other actions in our lives - we never really know who is watching and really, no action ever goes unnoticed by Go...

Redeeming justice, true peace, and joy - three things we could all probably say we don't see enough of these days!  Newscasts of late have just soured me to even watching the news (something I do more for the weather report than anything else).  Too many shootings, accidents deemed to be hit and run, homes burned out, and children left unattended by parents distracted by their own needs - just about everything as far away from "justice", "peace", or "joy" we could imagine and a little bit more.  We live in a fallen world - a fact that probably hasn't escaped your notice, my friends.  As long as sin reigns, bad stuff will continue to happen.  The good news is that God is above it all - he is able to create within us this everlasting state of peace only he brings because he has been given the place of reigning in our hearts. When God reigns, the order of the day is  redeeming justice, true peace, and joy made possible by the Holy Spirit.    You...

We run into people on occasion who make out God to be some big, bad "guy in the sky", who sits upon a throne, passing judgment on earth below.  They simply don't understand the mercy of God - seeing "justice" as only the "bad stuff" which happens to people.  If we look at justice in the most literal sense, we find it means to give both reward and punishment - based on a set of moral principles.  Therefore, to think of God as simply the "big bad guy in the sky" is a wrong perception of his "role".  First and foremost, he is the one who cannot vacillate from a standard which is morally correct.  He sets this high standard of righteousness and then he sticks with it because he cannot cross that line.  It would be a violation of his holiness and "rightness" if he did. We find there are times we want to blame the "big bad guy in the sky" for every bad thing which happens on this earth.  In truth, the bad stuff which ...

Today's entertainment line-ups often leave much to be desired.  With everything from the zombie apocalypse to the walking dead among us, those seeking nightly entertainment can have their filled with all kinds of questionable stuff. Don't get me wrong - I like a good movie for a day of relaxing or just to pass a little time.  The stuff we have to choose from these days leaves much to be desired, though.  I find myself gravitating back to the oldies - for though they may lack the same "pizzazz" of the present dramas, they at least don't leave me with this sick feeling someone is going to suck my blood or brains out of me in my sleep!  Our "appetites" have changed over the years, haven't they?  The fun-loving movies made by such stars as Doris Day, Bob Hope, and Lucille Ball just seem to be gone.  In fact, if a few churches across America and Canada weren't making some movies, there wouldn't be much wholesome to go to! This change in appetite ...

Injustice - any form on inequity which violates the rights of others.  We observe much injustice in this world, but probably don't do much with the injustices we observe.  The silence we portray against injustice isn't an "outward" manifestation of us "going along with it", but it does portray a heart either unmoved by injustice, or too afraid to do anything about it.  Sometimes it only takes someone speaking out - at others it may take some form of action or investment of our time, energies, and talents to address it.  When another suffers injury or wrong, our reaction and action toward that injustice reveals a lot about our heart. It’s wrong, very wrong,   to go along with injustice.   Whoever whitewashes the wicked   gets a black mark in the history books, b ut whoever exposes the wicked   will be thanked and rewarded.  (Proverbs 24:23-25 MSG) Wicked - morally bad in practice and principle; distressingly severe; unjustified. ...

A good many times, scripture simply points us to the things we should avoid, the outcomes of wrong choices, or the warnings which might just alert us to being a little too close to the edge with some of our life decisions.  I think this might just be because we all learn by the examples set by others – what we see will hopefully help us to make the right decisions ourselves.  As often is said, a picture speaks louder than a thousand words.  I don’t see many “pictures” in my Bible, but I do see “word pictures” – those things, when put together, actually form a reference point for us.  This is what examples do – they set a reference point.  Perhaps this is why it is so important to have a good example to follow – because they act as this point of reference by which the "compass" of our lives is set. Mixed motives twist life into tangles;   pure motives take you straight down the road.   Simpletons only learn the hard way,  but the wise learn by ...

We are well underway with our exploration of the character traits of a child of God - those traits which actually "reflect" better than any "image" we see of ourselves in the mirror on our wall.  Today, we consider our "J" list - Justice and Joyfulness.  I have chosen a rather long passage, but I think it is rich with blessing.  Justice is really another way of saying we live in such a manner so as to display right conduct.  In dealing with others, and often ourselves, we are equitable in treating others as God has treated us.  Now, at first, this seems a little too easy for us to simply respond, "Check", and move on.  Let me assure you, living "just" lives is a lot harder than some of the other traits we have explored to date!  In fact, because it deals with the behaviors of others, often in reflection of the way they have treated us, it is one of the hardest ones to master!   Train me,  God , to walk straight; then I’ll follow your ...

I stood up for justice and the right;  don't leave me to the mercy of my oppressors.   Take the side of your servant, good God;  don't let the godless take advantage of me.   I can't keep my eyes open any longer, waiting for you        to keep your promise to set everything right.  (Psalm 119:121-123 The Message) Taking a stand for something in life is probably one of the most telling things about an individual.  The things or people that an individual takes a "stand" for reveal the priorities of the individual, the values developed in life learning, and the importance one places on that thing or person in their life.  Our psalmist reminds of two things worth taking a "stand" for:  Justice and the Right. Justice is simply the moral "rightness" of a matter or individual.  In daily choices, we'd say an individual is exhibiting "just" behavior when they are allowing "moral" principles ...