Justice is at the core of love

 

Justice is at the core of love. We have heard how we should live and treat others - Love must be sincere, be devoted to one another in brotherly love, honour one another above yourselves, share with God's people who are in need, practice hospitality, live in harmony with one another, to live at peace with everyone if at all possible, to do what is right in the eyes of everyone, be willing to associate with people of low position. To let no debt outstanding except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. Love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no harm to its neighbor. Let us behave decently and clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ. (Parts of Romans 12 and 13). That's quite a comprehensive and easy to understand list. This should be easy to do. Let's spur one another on to live lives that Jesus calls us to live.

We can see above many specifics as to what the characteristics of a Jesus follower are and the Bible is filled with many more. In 1 Corinthians 16:14 we are reminded to do everything in love. Everything!

I wanted to understand a little bit more about what this word justice means. In the dictionary we read that it means 'being just, fairness, moral rightness, rightful, lawful, genuine respect for people, a concern for peace.'

Acting justly in life is being faithful to the original concept/intentions that God had for this world. We are acting true to ourselves as representatives of his kingdom when we treat people justly and fairly. (Terry Weber)

Martin Luther King says this - "Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love."

Cornel West says "Justice is what love looks like in public." It is seen in our behaviour and treatment of people. Jesus instructed us to love our neighbours as ourselves which means we acknowledge and accept their intrinsic value and worth. Justice and equity morphs into the language of love, compassion and kindness. We don't say 'be just to your brother/sister', but rather we say, 'be kind, or love your brother/sister.'

We recently had a 'love in action' week at our church where we basically used the Love Languages (one for each day) of encouragement (words of affirmation), acts of service, gifts, quality time and showing honour to someone. It was a fantastic initiative. Those who engaged had great testimonies to share. I also found it very meaningful, but I also had the same feeling that many experience around Mandela Day in South Africa where we have come to say, 'Make every day a Mandela day.' Here's a great quote by Nelson Mandela, "No-one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite." Dr Caroline Leaf, the well renowned neuroscientist says 'we are wired for love.' We are called to actively love every day and to do everything in love. 'Make every day an acts of love day.' Another thought I had was that the term 'racial justice' is not often included into our actions of love towards our neighbours. 

Jordan Black says "Racial justice is revival." It absolutely could change our world into something like we have never seen it before. We have been so wrong in the past in treating people of colour as 'less than'. We have believed a lie and we need to bring the truth back into the picture and restore humanity to all people. We need to let the world feel the Father's love through our love actions and feel his blood flow through our veins as we reach out in love. Justice should spring out of love. Some wrongs need to be put right on the back of asking for forgiveness. The world should see Jesus in our eyes, words and actions. Our actions need to be about restoring that which God originally intended for this world. My life should tell the world of who Jesus is. The truth of God's word helps us recognise the lie.

We have heard this statement over the last year (2020) where there have been many global marches to bring awareness to racial injustice, 'no justice, no peace.' and Martin Luther King helps us further understand this when he said, "true peace is not merely the absence of tension, it is the presence of justice."

This kind of disruption has brought global change and we should take note that at the heart of what is being asked for by people of colour is to be treated as equal. As Jesus followers we should whole heartedly support that call and make sure it happens. There should be no debate.

In Micah 6:8 we are told to 'do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our God.' Mercy can also be seen as kindness. Compassion leads us towards kindness and mercy. God showed us the greatest mercy when he died on the cross and offers us forgiveness from sin. It's his kindness/mercy that leads us to repentance. He expects us to show mercy to others too. We do this by showing that we belong to his kingdom by living out a different set of standards/guidelines/values. We get to be salt and light. As a Christ follower we should be leading the way as to what being like Jesus looks like - and love and mercy are the guiding signposts. We will be known by our love. He is a faithful God who set up an everlasting covenant with us. We show our love for him by our obedience to his commands and our faithfulness in serving him. We should look very different. There should be no confusion as to who we follow by the way we live. How are we doing with our thoughts, actions and words towards those who look different to us? It's in you Jesus that I live and move and have my being. What does that mean? To be in Jesus is to follow him and his ways, words and commands. We need to be responding differently in how we treat other people. Every person on our earth has been made in the image of God. We respond very differently when our very being is in him.

Jesus was humble. His leadership style was servant led. He never treated anyone as less than anyone else. All are equal in his sight. Humility leaves us open to life long learning and wisdom. It opens the door to truth. It makes us aware of who we truly are and how much we are in need of God in our life. It allows us to lean in and listen and learn even if a new truth/understanding/piece of information is uncomfortable at first, even if it shows up sin and wrongdoing that needs correction and a new way of doing things. The last part of that verse says to walk humbly with our God. Walking and talking with God shows deep relationship and for that to continue, humility needs to exist. A statement I have often quoted that comes from some training my husband does is, 'we need each other to see all there is to see.' That statement is all about vulnerability, humility and interdependence. If we could function like that in our world with people of all colours, nationalities and cultures we truly would have revival on our hands. That's my dream, hope and vision to see that while I am still in the land of the living. 

Holy Spirit Blue - a poem

 

A poem inspired by a word in church this morning on the colour 'blue', the worship and the sermon on Psalm 121)

Wash over with peace
Wash over with healing
Roll in like a river
Roll out like a river
Spill and splash onto others
Jesus, Jesus you silence fear
Jesus, Jesus your promise still stands
Jesus, Jesus you are still enough
Great is your faithfulness

Look up!
Hope in our hearts
Hope in our lungs
Hope in our minds
Help comes from above
No heart cry, no tear escapes his watchful eyes

Look up!
Take courage
Rest in his shade
He's there. He's still there
You are standing. You are still standing

Look up!
Look beyond
Push through those dark clouds
Look beyond
His promise still stands
This is our God
He is still with us
He never sleeps
He never slumbers

Love poured out
Love filled my world with grace.

Look up!

Perspective

 

I was immediately drawn to these bright plastic sunglasses left behind by a child at the beach. My family thought I was a little nuts crouching down to get the shot I wanted!

Different angles, different levels and different perspectives are all important in the way we view life. Sometimes we need to get down on our hands and knees and sometimes we need to climb up high. Sometimes we need to look through or next to or above to find what we need.

Sometimes we need to forge forward and go after something with great force and other times we need to stand back, let go. trust, breathe and have faith.

Isaiah 58:11 The Lord will guide you always, he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well watered garden, like a spring whose water never fail.

Flowing outlet or stagnant tank

 

I wrote this piece during level 5 lockdown when I was seeing a lot of my garden with walking 17 laps on a daily basis. I tried to find new things to photograph and enjoy on a daily basis. Sometimes it was an analogy.

We have a water tank in our back garden. It collects water from the run off on the corner of the roof. But it has no natural or easy outlet at the moment. It needs a connection at the bottom that we can then attach a hosepipe to. If I want to use the water inside, I have to fill back breaking buckets full, hence it pretty much gets ignored.

Guess what the insides look like? Black, slimy sludge. 

The dictionary says this of stagnant water: A body of water in a confined space having no current or flow and often having an unpleasant smell as a consequence.

Stagnate means no activity. It got me thinking to the Christian life and what happens when we stagnate. This past Sunday our pastor preached on James 2 - Faith and Deeds, and it prompted me to finish  putting this blog together. When we stagnate we stop developing, stop growing, progressing or advancing. Our mind goes to sleep. When we are without current or circulation we become unproductive,ineffective, sluggish and dull. 

No outlet means no freshness, no new life and vitality is lost. We become bored, stop learning and don't use our skills and talents. That tank is no good without an outlet, it smells and is probably a breeding ground for all sorts of undesirable things like mosquitoes and moss. Idle hands and idle minds are a space for evil to flourish.

It was interesting to see during lockdown in South Africa how it was easy to have less activity taking place. It was unusual times and rest was necessary for many. It's okay to stop and rest a while and not engage, but we can't stay there. It's not healthy for us.

As people we generally like action on the part of others. People who have important jobs and positions - we want action. Just think how we have had these expectations of our President in response to Covid-19. It's an expectation in our world.

God speaks about being active in his service. He is not slow to act. We are told in James that faith without works is dead, like a literal rotting corpse. Look at the inside of that tank - imagine if that's what we want the world to see our faith as? God says do not become weary in doing good. He also says, renew your mind, obey my commands, follow me, come to me, help others, tell the good news, worship, do acts of service, pray for others, present your requests, go into all the world, make fishers of men, give, love one another, serve others, encourage others, run the race, work out your salvation, read his word, sing, make music, dance! That's a pretty active life that he expects us to live.

There are always spaces for surrender, but surrender, letting go, being still, resting and trusting God are not the same as inactivity. It is an active choice to let go and surrender.

There have been times where I have watered the nearby plants by taking bucket fulls of water out of the tank. Then it creates newness and life. (My neighbour has actually offered to install an outlet at some point.)

What's filling you? Where's your outlet? As we were asked on Sunday, how's your heart? and how are you living as someone saved with the gift of eternal life? Our faith should have a natural working out with fruits in the way we live.
'Faith is active, it is activating and it is lived out.' (Trevor Anderson)

We need to be a channel of blessing to those around us. Are we bringing life, the aroma of Christ or are we just stinking up the place?

There's life inside of all of us, but it's no good if there's no outlet. How do you allow God to flow in, through and out of you? We can't depend on others to do it for us. If it is to be, it's up to me. Our faith should naturally lead to works of service. It validates and authenticates the faith we profess.

One thing lockdown has done is show the vast difference between those who have and those who don't. There have been and still are many hungry people around us. People in our City and country have risen to this occasion in amazing ways in passing on clothing, bedding, household items and food. We don't have to look far to find needs at the moment. We should never be bored - there is always something to do in reaching out to others in their time of need and show people what the Kingdom of God is all about.

We cannot tire in doing good as lockdown continues and beyond. There will always be many practical ways you can stay like an overflowing outlet of God's love, life, mercy and justice to those around you.

Well-worn paths

It's lockdown in South Africa at the moment because of the COVID-19 pandemic that has swept across our world. It has caused all sorts of different activities to surface as people are not able to go out unless they need food or medical care. South Africa has been one of the countries with the strictest restrictions with people not even being allowed out to walk their dogs. Some people came up with the idea of doing a marathon in your property over the 21 day lockdown, which means at the very least doing 2km per day. For most this is quite a few laps around your house or garden, for me it's 17 laps.

The other day my son pointed out the paths around the yard of where we had been running and I took a photo, and as I looked at the photo, a whole lot of thoughts came to mind (one being that I hope we don't create trenches before lockdown is over), hence this blog.

God often speaks to me through analogies and I love how the messages stay with me because there's generally a picture or image involved. I am a visual learner - He knows that. It also reminds me of how Jesus used parables when he was here on earth.

As a person keeps walking through the same trail, it becomes a well-worn path... a clear way to go forward. Now, although our garden looks a bit like a jungle at the moment, because we were unable to get the grass cutting guys in before lockdown, I really don't think anyone is going to come and do a trail hike there anytime soon, but I know I have always appreciated when out on a trail or hike and it's visible to see that there have been many before on the same path and so they have created something that is clear to see where to go.

It first of all reminded me of a song we used to sing that had the word ancient paths in it and I went to Google and the Bible to try find some correlating verses. Interestingly I found something written by a man named Nick who was commenting on Psalm 119 with its' 176 verses. he was saying how every verse is a variation of saying the same thing, about how much the writer loves God's law, but each is still different. Jeremiah 6:16 says this, 'Stand at the crossroads and look, ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.'

God's Word has been around a long time, but it still offers the same that it offered when it first came from the mouth of God. It gives us direction, hope, comfort and shows us how to live a holy and righteous life. Each word is a well-worn path that shows us a clear way forward. Psalm 119:1 says 'Those whose way is blameless, who walk in the Lord's instruction, are truly happy.'

The other thing that has been spoken about a lot because of lockdown is habits. Many people know and agree that it takes 21 days to create a new habit, so many people were looking to do that. Habits are things that we do repeatedly until they don't become work anymore, they just become normal and a part of us. 

I have read a lot from the writings of Dr Caroline Leaf, a neuroscientist who has put such a new spin on how our brains work that she has made many realise how you really can change what goes on inside your brain. We have a network of 'branches' in our brains and our thoughts are attached to these branches. Our repetitive thoughts (well-worn paths) create grooves in our brain and we can get stuck by having bad thoughts and feel captive to them. (bad habits) With over 60 000 thoughts per day, it's quite important that we make them good and helpful ones. 

So how do we create new habits or better thoughts if we have bad habits or unhelpful ones? 21 days of a new thought or habit is the only way to do it. We cannot unlearn in a vacuum, we have to replace that which we don't want. Dr. leaf suggests that sometimes you need to do another 21 days detox if you haven't changed the belief or habit after the first 21 days. It's another case of well-worn paths.There's an interesting process that happens inside your brain as you change your focus - there's a kind of 'brain glue' that holds our thoughts in place to the various branches or networks. As you start to use deep thinking and change your focus to a new and better thought, it loosens the 'glue' and then it moves to the new thought to hold it in place the more you focus on it. It really is like changing pictures in your brain. Fascinating.

The big question I suppose is what do we want in our thoughts, habits and actions? We become what we repeatedly do. I am thankful for some good well-worn paths in my life, things that have been to my benefit, the primary one being my relationship with God and reading His word over and over again until it is wired into my brain. It has been a lamp and a light to my path.

Consent Matters

Updated - 22nd April 2025. This blog was written 6 years ago. Unfortunately we still have a high level of abusive behaviour taking place in our world. We have just had people take to the streets in South Africa shouting for justice for Cwecwe. The need for preventative safety education (as well as necessary movement in our justice system) has become imperative for everyone, children and adults, if we are going to push back against this scourge in our world.

What is hugely concerning is hearing conversations from other parts of our world where empathy is seen as something bad and consent not necessary to discuss and teach. As you will read in the blog that follows, that both these concepts are vital if we are going to beat abuse of children and adults. Empathy is crucial in this process as it demonstrates care and understanding. It allows people to feel seen, heard and valued. It allows them to freely and fully consent to an action. Empathy creates a safe space for that decision to be made without any coercion. Empathy brings trust into the equation too. It is also important for the person to understand what they are agreeing to. They must also feel completely free to change their minds at any time. Our personal choices and boundaries are always going to be important and necessary to stay as safe as possible in our not so safe world. These need to be respected, while at the same time respecting the personal choices and boundaries of those around us.

When it comes to consent, the law changed in South Africa in 2024. Section 56 (1A) of our Sexual Offences Act was amended (Thanks to the work of The Embrace Project and Inge Holztrager). Instead of perpetrators trying to explain away their victim not saying no or thinking they said yes, it is now not a valid defense for that accused person to rely on a subjective belief that the complainant was consenting to the conduct in question. They now have to prove there was a yes and that they took objectively reasonable steps to ascertain that the complainant consented to the sexual conduct in question. So we are always looking for an informed, clear and enthusiastic yes, otherwise it is not consent.  

Original Blog from Oct 2019
Consent is a topic on many lips, and rightly so. In South Africa at the moment we have a huge problem with a lack of consent and people trampling on or over others boundaries. This is in connection to our high stats of rape, murder and abuse. Consent does not only apply to sex and it's something that should be taught to children from little so that they understand the concept. It's basic respect 101. Our world functions on boundaries and some don't get a yes/no option otherwise we put ourselves and others at risk or in danger. They are there to be complied with and if not there are consequences that follow. When it comes to personal boundaries of those around us, the easiest thing to do is ask permission.

The focus of this particular blog is more about consent with regards to touch. A frightening stat in South Africa at the moment is that about 34% (1 in 3) of our children will be victims of sexual violence and physical abuse before they turn 18. We need all to have life skills for protection in this area.

In teaching our children about respect and empathy, there is so much we can do from a young age. It really all comes down to their moral development and character and values that are instilled. Things like talking about feelings and being able to identify and express what they are feeling. Being able to read other people's feelings too. Imagining themselves in other people's shoes is a critical life skill in learning some empathy. Learning what is acceptable and unacceptable in our world. The way we treat others and the way we speak to others is vitally important. We need to teach that we treat others how we would like to be treated. I was watching a young toddler hit his Mom in the face consistently and she hardly reacted. I made a comment about being kind to his Mom and still no reaction from either. Little things can become big problems later on. Delayed gratification is another key element. It's ok to say no and wait to a child. Getting what they want when they want it also spirals into bigger problems later on.

We need to also be aware of not stepping over our children's boundaries and respect their no. When it comes to tickling, wrestling, hugging, kissing etc these all need consent to be taken into account. Read their body language and don't ignore their plea to stop. This is so important as they are learning from you and how to engage with the world. If it is ignored they might internalise that their no is not important and neither is other people's no's because this adult parent who I trust doesn't seem to think it's important. One can see how dangerous this is. We also don't want to expose them to harmful stuff as this is a safety boundary, so, things like pornography and age restricted movies would come into this.

Having many conversations with your children that are age appropriate about consent, like, their bodies belong to them and other people have control over their own bodies. That I am allowed to say no to unwanted physical affection/touch, like kisses, hugs and sitting on laps of family members and others. Teach them to respect other people's 'no' towards them. Teach them to read emotions and body language and ask before touching. Help them practice some 'fierce body positions' when they say no, very loudly and clearly - this will make them feel powerful in their bodies. Keep the balance between staying safe and still showing respect to people, but knowing that if they are in danger that their safety becomes more important than respect.

Speak about safe and unsafe touch and personal body space, about private clothing and body parts and using correct terminology for body parts. Teaching about choice and control is also very important. When we take choice and control away from other people, it makes them vulnerable and open to exploitation. The Protective Behaviours Programme teaches all these concepts very comprehensively. Find a place where your child can attend the course or go through the training yourself as a parent. Help them create a network of people that they can talk to about anything and especially if someone violates one of their boundaries.

We all need to know how to react, respond and do something if we see consent being overridden and where to go for help. The more we talk and teach safety concepts, the more confidence will build and the less chance that people will freeze and then not go for help. Silence allows abuse to continue. Teach the concept of safe and unsafe secrets.

It is never a joke to not respect a touch boundary that someone has put in place. Don't go ahead and do it anyway. Respect what they have asked for and take them seriously. Saying 'it was just a joke' afterwards is never ok. Ask first if you can touch and if you do hug, please let go. Don't make people feel uncomfortable by holding on.

There are so many ways to greet people without full frontal hugs and kisses - there are side hugs, fist pump, handshake, high 5, wave, smile and words. We certainly don't have to be rude while practicing consent in our world. And we need to learn it both ways so that we stay safe and that we don't turn into perpetrators.

It is so very vital to have these conversations on consent with our children so that they are fore-armed and prepared to stay as safe as possible in our world. Predators are not asking children or anyone for consent, they are manipulating and walking over boundaries. Don't shield your kids from learning how to be safe, because in the long run you are exposing them, not protecting them. There are people out there who have set up, tried and tested methods to ride right over consent. They are clever, manipulative and highly deceitful. Let's put ours, our children's and other people's safety as our number one priority and practice consent in our world.

Daily reminder for humility

Daily reminder for humility

A small traffic circle has 4 of these, meaning 'yield, give way' as an instruction to each and every person approaching the circle. Not one person gets right of way automatically, so, it technically should function like a 4-way stop where, first arriving, gets to go first. (Bigger traffic circles have the rules of yield to traffic from the right.)

Traffic circles, such as these, are a perfect place for all people in the approaching vehicles to practice humility, because arrogance doesn't work.

David Marcum and Steven Smith put it this way, 'humility is a quiet strength and genuine confidence, tempered with graciousness. It is we-centric, not me-centric, and it deflects attention and credit rather than desperately grasping for it.'

The Bible puts it this way in Colossians3:12 'Therefore as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.'