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Maintaining Justice and Doing What Is Right Brings God's Blessings

“Maintain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is close at hand and my righteousness will soon be revealed.  Blessed is the man who does this, the man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil.” 
– Isaiah 56:1-2 (NIV 1984)

Are we still advocates of justice and doing what is right today?  Are we modeling what honoring the Sabbath looks like?  Are we keeping our hands from doing evil?  We live in a world that makes doing justice and what is right difficult because it champions injustice and a “do whatever feels good” attitude.  We live in a world today where the Sabbath is not honored (Saturday, Sunday, another day; take your pick!), where people do not keep their hands from doing evil and where justice is an old fashioned notion that many people believe means equal and “fair” treatment for all!

Isaiah’s call to do what is right came more than 2500 years ago and still rings true today.  Jesus came announcing, “repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near!”  Now, we await Christ’s return and the full arrival of God’s kingdom, the coming of his salvation when his righteousness will be revealed.  While we wait, we are called to maintain justice (stressed all over the Old Testament but rarely followed through on) and do what is right.  As Christ’s followers, we are called to model what justice, what right actions, and what honoring the Sabbath looks like to the world!

This week, think about how you can be a better model of justice, of doing what is right, and honoring the Sabbath (whatever day you choose is fine).  Remember that while we wait for God’s salvation to come, we are Christ’s representatives in this world and are always “on duty” as reflections of who he is.  Be Christ in the world today and throughout the week, bless those who see your Christ-like actions, and receive the blessing promised for those who do these things.
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