Bending Towards Justice

As we recently commemorated the life of Martin Luther King Jr. I thought I’d bring that quote from this spoken word back to the fore. What I did with the quote may be a little out of context (and I realize now that even then I misquoted it a little), but I think that King’s life demonstrated his absolute belief that moving society closer to the goal of justice, especially for the most vulnerable, required active engagement. And that work of active engagement is an act of bending that arc, or perhaps bending society towards the more just, or moral end of that arc (or that end of the moral universe).

That active challenging of the status quo towards the more beloved community can be heard in nobigdyl.’s words:

What are you doing to contribute to justice and peace?

NOBIGDYL. – “Sweet Dreams, Breathe Easy”

King’s was a prophetic voice that spoke truth to, and about power, and challenged those in authority who did not use their authority justly.

King was not well loved in his last days for some of his stances on issues of justice, foreign and domestic. He called out three systemic evils that had to be addressed: militarism, racism, and poverty. The work of bending towards justice, challenging these systems, created offense to many and cost him dearly.

Some trust in they candidate
Others trust in they management
But imagine if the man that they live for
Slip and soon they will come and cancel him

Kb – “This is Life”

King’s stance on the Vietnam War left him ostracized by many. His opposition to the conflict solidified his status as an enemy of the state.

His work confronting racial injustice made him an enemy of the establishment and those who benefited from systemic discrimination.

The Poor People’s Campaign and King’s advocacy for those earning low wages without being provided the resources they needed for personal safety, and specifically his support of the Memphis Sanitation Workers’ Strike gave a platform to the unheard and positioned him squarely within the cross hairs of an unjust system. It made him a threat that some felt had to be silenced.

His challenging the status quo got him labeled an instigator and agitator by those who said this is “just the way it is”, and who preferred quiet over righteousness. But as Amanda Gorman put it (amazingly) during the inauguration ceremony of the 46th President of the United States:

…the norms and notions
Of what “just is”
Isn’t always just-ice

Amanda Gorman – “The Hill We Climb”

(And I should mention that King faced opposition for his stances on multiple and opposing fronts. To some he was too progressive and radical. To others he was too conservative, meek and timid. I cannot do enough justice to this here. As I posted last time I’m currently reading Parting The Waters: America In The King Years (1954-63) by Taylor Branch, and that only covers a piece of the picture, which is immense. Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?, King’s last book before he was killed covers some of this tension more concisely.)

King looked to Jesus Christ as his primary example for living out love and righteousness. He drew inspiration from others as well, but Christ seemed supreme. How Christ engaged with the vulnerable in society was part of King’s pattern. Modelling Christ-like love for those he disagreed with, and nonviolent but active resistance was some of the fruit of his faith.

Like the men and women we find throughout the Bible, King’s life offers inspiration as well as cautionary tales of moral failing. But those on the other side of justice issues were not enemies to King. They were people needing to be freed from the lies of false identity that they had believed about themselves and others. King was working towards corrective justice because of the lack of primary justice in the nation (I’ve written some thoughts about that primary justice here).

This brought about jail time, fines, and violence. But one justice strategy of the Civil Rights Movement was to take that which was meant for evil, and use it for good and the redemption of the lost.

When violence was used against those bending towards justice, the scenes of brutality were caught on camera. Some of the people who once condoned a racist discriminatory system had their eyes opened to the depravity and hate segregation produced. This brought about heart change.

This was, and should continue to be part of the hope.

In 2020 we wrestled with disparities in health outcomes and treatment at the hands of law enforcement drawn along racial lines like never before. Statistical data and cell phone video brought us macro and micro evidence. The first few weeks of 2021 are 2020 clarity continued.

The hope is that more will be convicted of and set free from lies they have believed when it comes to systemic injustice, and that they will join those doing the work of bending towards justice.

(As Kb’s aptly titled song puts it) “This is Life” for those in Christ: communion with God, hoping redemption for the lost, repentance and forgiveness for sin, and a life of service for those in need. And I believe that serving the vulnerable will compel us to work towards justice while we rely on our Defender and Heavenly Lord as we are refined like diamonds in the process.

That work of justice is done with large scale movements and in personal relationships.

Every piece of justice bending is vital, because that arc is long, and we may get there all the sooner if we work to get there together.

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Original image by Josh Gordon via Unsplash

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I thought too that I would share this recording of part of a worship set that includes the same spoken word referred to above:

The team for this set was Cynthia, Rebecca, and Stephen.

Being a part of the worship team and serving with you all meant so much to me. I miss it much. It was an honor and a blessing.

I think that “No Rival” by Crowder ft JR might go well with this too.

“Defender” was released in 2017 on Rita Springer’s album “Battles”. There are a number of great versions of it but here is a link to the original.

Visual by QuinceCreative via Pixabay