As we walk in the Way of Jesus, we should: “[L]et justice roll on like a river, and righteousness like a never-failing stream!” (Amos 5:24).

In order to establish justice and righteousness as the work of our hands (Psalm 90:17), Jesus warned us about the danger of straining “gnats” out of what we drink, yet swallowing “camels”—nitpicking over minor things, but ignoring major things. (Matthew 23:23-24).

Jesus said:

Woe to . . . you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters . . . justice, mercy and faithfulness.

You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.

You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

(Matthew 23:23-24).

In the same way, I sometimes get frustrated with people who strain out “gnats” when it comes to speaking “woke” words of justice, mercy, faithfulness, and righteousness, but they swallow “camels” when it comes to practicing justice, mercy, faithfulness, and righteousness.

Jesus doesn’t want us to neglect being sensitive to which words we speak. In an application of the Golden Rule, we should speak unto people the kinds of words that we would want them to speak unto us.

Avoid the use of a word or image that angers other people for ethnic, racial, or religious reasons. Because, as the wisdom of the Apostle Paul tells us: “[I]f it is possible, as much as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” (Romans 12:18).

But be careful! Don’t pay so much attention to words and images that you neglect the more important matters: justice, mercy, faithfulness, and righteousness.

How can you recognize these more important matters of practicing justice, mercy, faithfulness, and righteousness?

Pay attention to the Way Jesus lived!

—Blessing children (Mark 10:13-16)

—Welcoming sinners (Luke 15:1-2)

—Weeping together (John 11:35)

—Washing each other’s feet (John 13:1-17)

—Laughing (Matthew 7:3-4; Matthew 11:16-19)

—Being best friends (John 15:13-15)

Follow the Ways of Abraham, Moses and Jesus when they became the first people to discover America in their hearts:

—Bless ALL people (Abraham, at Genesis 12:1-3).

—Challenge ALL pharaohs to set ALL people free (Moses, at Exodus 5:1).

—Heal ALL hurting people (Jesus, at Luke 10:25-37).

You can recognize the more important matters of justice, mercy, faithfulness, and righteousness by being a Good Samaritan. (Luke 10:25-37).

As you may recall, Jesus told a story about Jews who walked past without helping a Jew who had been beaten and robbed.

Part of the reason they ignored the suffering of the Jew who had been beaten and robbed may well have been that they were strictly observing rules in the Law of Moses about maintaining ritual purity.

Perhaps they were too busy to stop to help a hurting person.

Or, they may have been afraid. The robbers might return and beat them!

These people (who made excuses for failing to help a hurting person) strained out gnats, but swallowed a camel!

In contrast, the Samaritan (who Jews despised because of ethnic, nationalistic  and religious differences) practiced justice, mercy, faithfulness, and righteousness for a hurting person of a different ethnicity, nationality and religion:

—The Good Samaritan practiced “first aid” to begin healing the hurting person who had been beaten and robbed.

—The Good Samaritan was motivated by compassion for the hurting person, not fear of the people who beat and robbed him.

—The Good Samaritan took the time to take the hurting person to a place where he could heal completely.

—The Good Samaritan paid to take care of the hurting person.

—After completing his trip, the Good Samaritan came back to see how well the hurting person was healing.

In these ways, the Good Samaritan followed the Way of Jesus and the Ways of Abraham, Moses and Jesus who first discovered America in their hearts.

If you (and everyone from every nation) will be a Good Samaritan, Humanity will truly establish a civilization where justice rolls on like a river, and righteousness like a never-ending stream.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

Have you ever been a Good Samaritan? How? Why?

Have you ever failed to be a Good Samaritan? How? Why?

Have you ever helped justice roll on like a river, and righteousness like a never-failing stream? How? Why?

Have you ever failed to help justice roll on like a river, and righteousness like a never-failing stream? How? Why?

Have you ever strained out a gnat, but swallowed a camel? How? Why?

READ MORE

For related thoughts, please read my blog “Pandemic Wisdom: Visions of America”.

For similar thoughts, please listen to my podcast “The Good Samaritan” and read the chapter “The Good Samaritan” in my book Hoping in the LORD, at pages 187-191.