At the FREEDOM TOUR we ride bikes and invite people to join us as we seek justice for kids rescued from human trafficking.

A short parable about justice and listening.

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“What do you mean by justice?”

I quickly recited my “elevator pitch” answer: From God’s perspective, justice means setting things right.

It’s the overall story arc of scripture.

God created, and everything was good. We broke it. Jesus came to set things right.

Clearly, it’s a tiny bit more complicated. But until He returns, we’re invited to walk with Him as He writes God’s big story of justice…now, and not yet.

Nice speech. If only I’d listened before speaking.

Because…what if she’s an abuse victim? What if greedy, misleading pharmaceutical manufacturers caused his son’s overdose? What if their mother was murdered?

No one can “set things right” in those horrific circumstances. Only God can adequately address such tragedy, and I believe in His timing He will. But that’s not the answer these people seek.

If I’d listened, I might have heard their cries. I might have empathized. I might have sat with them and simply said, “This is hard.”

Perhaps, after some time, we might have gently explored the space between justice and accountability. We might have understood why, in many cases, society can’t achieve true justice, can’t remove the scars of trauma, can’t bring back lost loved ones, can’t set things right.

We might have talked about why human systems can only provide accountability that frequently doesn’t feel like authentic justice, because it isn’t.

All of that might have happened, if I’d listened first.

Seek first to understand, then to be understood. ~ Steven Covey

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Next time: Holy week, the cross, an empty tomb, and justice for Saloni and the kids at the Home of Hope.