Good News about Injustice

Two years ago I was in a Bible study with a very unique group of ladies.  We studied Romans, hello!  And we used Tim Keller's notes, hello (link here to the study).  I was the youngest of the group, being a new mom of two, there were a couple other moms with elementary age children, and a couple moms with teenage children, but most of the women were young grandmas (around my mom's age).  It was an awesome group, and I enjoyed being around ladies with more experience and perspective, what a blessing!


After the study ended we decided to start a book club over the summer to read Dietrich Bonhoeffer's book, "Cost of Discipleship" which was quite a treat...and over time we have read different titles, some fiction, some non-fiction, some classics, some theological.  Women have come and gone, but overall it is generally a lot of the same women.  We meet every other month or so and pick our next book by democratic vote, which seems to work for this group.  


Unfortunately the last few times we have met I have been unable to attend for one reason or another...ahem...new baby.  But recently I was able to make the gathering and even slightly enjoyed the book.  I say that mostly tongue and cheek, it was a wonderful book and, in my humble opinion, a must read for all believers.   Of course when I started it I told Dave that I hated the book, this is mostly because it deals with hard issues that need to be wrestled with.  And so now I am making Dave read it, so we can discuss it.


Gary Haugen is the director of International Justice Mission which is a "human rights agency that secures justice for victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violent oppression. IJM lawyers, investigators and aftercare professionals work with local officials to ensure immediate victim rescue and aftercare, to prosecute perpetrators and to promote functioning public justice systems."  Prior to working for IJM he worked for the justice department and helped lead the UN investigations into the genocide in Rwanda in 1994.  He knows a thing or two about this subject.


The book, "Good News about Injustice" is very easy to read, full of scripture, and not full of guilt.  In another life I worked for World Relief with refugees and it was very eye opening to hear stories of people from all over the world, who had to flee their own country because of their religion, or their ethnicity.  DUring my time at WR I spent a lot of time thinking about this issue of justice and how God cares about, but Haugen does a great job of bringing it back to my memory.


One of the things he mentions is that the church seems to do a great job of feeding and clothing the poor, but we have done a bad job of seeking justice for them.  We have not taken down the ones that oppress.  And that is an important task too...one which we are called to do as well.  Now, I need to start praying about how I am to seek justice for the oppressed.