This past weekend, I attended the Justice Conference at my church, one of the many simulcast sites around the country. This was my first time attending, so I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect. I had not heard of many of the speakers but I went with an open mind, ready to receive a word from the Lord. Here are a few takeaways from two speakers at the conference:
Bryan Stevenson, Founder & Director of Equal Justice Initiative
1. We have to commit ourselves to proximity. Proximity will show you things you couldn’t see if you were far away.
2. Change the narrative. There is a story behind every injustice.
3. We have to be hopeful to see change. Hope is at the center of justice.
4. We have to choose to be uncomfortable. Great moments in history occurred because people chose to be uncomfortable.
Lynne Hybels, Author of Nice Girls Don’t Change the World
Important questions to ask when considering what role we’ll play in the fight for justice:
1. “Is there a treadmill I need to step off of to more clearly hear God?”
2. “Is there a suffering that God might be calling me to?”
3. “What is the beauty that only I can be used to restore?”
One one of the key takeaways from Lynne’s talk was the question, “What’s mine to do?” What is my responsibility to advocate for those who need a voice? What is God calling me to do to fight for justice in my community and in the world?
For the past month, our church has been taking a look at ways that we can Live Just. In addition to studying what the scriptures say about justice, we provided resources for adults and children that could help them think more about justice. Here is a picture of the resource we provided for adults & families as well as bracelets that people could wear:
In addition, we provided a resource for children with practical ways that they could learn to Live Just. You can download the resource here.
It is our desire that our recent focus on justice will continue into the months and years to come, becoming a way of life for adults and children alike.
For more ideas on how children (and families) can reach out, take a look at the many resources I’ve pinned on my KidMin – Missions/Outreach Pinterest page.
