Proverbs 29:27 (NLT)
The righteous despise the unjust; the wicked despise the godly.
The phrase “social justice” stirs up strong reactions these days…on both sides of the political aisle. For some, it is a clarion call to right the wrongs of society as they see them and define them. For others, it is a dangerous slogan used to deconstruct traditional social fabric, institutions, and definitions. For the sake of today’s passage, both definitions are wrong.
Righteousness is that which is in harmony with God’s character or standard…and the opposite side of that coin is always sin. The bible also teaches us that God is just…a God of justice. This means that He is fair and impartial. Additionally, God hates the ill-treatment and oppression of people and of nature, which He has created, certainly the former more than the latter. He also hates lying, cheating, and other forms of mistreatment of others, all of whom are created in His Image (the Imago Dei). The fact that God is just means that He can and will judge between right and wrong and He will administer justice in accordance with His standards. In the end, every account will be settled, and every crime paid for – either by Jesus on the cross or by the transgressor in Hell.
Ever since the Beginning, when sin entered into the world, righteousness and wickedness have been in total opposition to one another. Those who acknowledge and pursue godly righteousness hate injustice and the actions of unjust people while those who reject God’s standards and pursue sinful thoughts and deeds despise everything about the godly. Cain and Abel. Joseph and his brothers. Moses and Pharaoh. Jesus and Satan. After all, what fellowship does darkness have with light (2 Cor. 6:14)?
You may be the friendliest Christian in the history of the world, but because you represent God’s righteousness, the wicked will despise you and some will mistreat you because “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim. 3:13). On the flipside, godly people should literally be disgusted by injustice anywhere it exists, on both sides of the political aisle, and should be bold in calling it out and seeking to eliminate it…but don’t look for acceptance or understanding from those outside of Christ, because they simply lack the desire as well as the ability to do so.
