For Justice & Against Injustice

Justice. It’s one of those words we throw around like it’s obvious, but if we’re being real, how often do we stop and think about what it actually looks like in everyday life? I mean, we all want justice, right? We want things to be fair, for wrongs to be made right, for the vulnerable to be protected. This may seem super objective to us individually, but collectively there is always differing views on what justice should look like.

But let’s be honest, justice doesn’t always feel so straightforward when the rubber meets the road.

Sometimes, it’s messy.

The good news is there is someone who understands justice completely, so let’s consider what it is that Jesus shows us about justice and injustice.

What Does Justice Look Like?

Let’s start with here…

Luke 4:18-19

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
    for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released,
    that the blind will see,
that the oppressed will be set free,
 and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.

Jesus is reading directly from the Jewish scriptures in this verse in front of a Jewish audience. This would have been a scripture they were familiar with and had heard many times. After reading from the scroll, he sat down and said this-

Luke 4:21

“The scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!”

Jesus is saying that HE is the fulfillment of the justice that was promised to them.

Justice, as defined by the Jewish scriptures and repeated by Jesus is about bringing good news to those who need it most, releasing captives, giving sight to the blind, and freeing the oppressed. That’s the heart of justice—making things right for the people society has forgotten or pushed to the margins.

But let’s pause here for a second. How often do we actually think about justice this way? It’s easy to want justice in theory, but when it involves getting uncomfortable, stepping into situations where people are hurting, or standing up for those who can’t stand up for themselves, it suddenly feels a lot more complicated.

Flipping Tables: Justice in Action

Speaking of uncomfortable situations, let’s talk about Matthew 21:12-13, where Jesus literally flipped tables:

Matthew 21:12-13

Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out all the people buying and selling animals for sacrifice. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!”

Jesus walks into the temple and sees corruption, greed, and injustice happening right in front of Him. And what does He do? He flips over tables and calls out the injustice. In the Gospels we see Jesus directly address those who are acting as a barrier between the people and God- and this is a great example of exactly that. People are at the temple with the desire to connect with God, and these people were taking advantage of them.

Now, before any of us get too excited about flipping our own tables, let’s take a breath. Jesus was showing us that justice is about correcting what’s wrong, but it’s not just about being angry or dramatic. It’s about righteous anger—anger that’s rooted in love and the desire to protect the vulnerable.

Here’s where this gets tricky for us. We can confuse our anger with righteous anger, and we end up acting out of frustration instead of love. That’s why we have to be careful and constantly check ourselves. Is what we’re calling justice really aligned with God’s heart, or is it just about making ourselves feel better or demanding our own way?

Justice and Forgiveness: An Uncomfortable Tension

If we’re really going to talk about justice, we can’t leave out forgiveness. Justice is about accountability and correction, but forgiveness? That’s about releasing personal resentment. How on earth do we balance the two?

Micah 6:8 helps us out:

Micah 6:8

“No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”

Justice isn’t just about accountability. It’s about loving mercy while walking in humility. Sometimes we want justice to look like a cosmic “gotcha!” moment, where the people who’ve wronged us get what’s coming to them. But God’s justice is rooted in mercy.

Romans 12:19

“Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, ‘I will take revenge; I will pay them back,’ says the Lord.”

I don’t know about you, but this verse kind of messes with my sense of control. We like the idea of justice, but when it doesn’t happen on our timeline or in the way we think it should, it’s tempting to take matters into our own hands. But God reminds us that He’s the one who balances the scales, not us. Our job? Walk in mercy and trust Him with the rest.

Imperfect Justice and the Call to Lean on God

And here’s where it all comes together: We will never get justice perfectly right. As much as we strive for it, our sense of justice is flawed. We are human, after all. Our views of fairness, accountability, and righteousness are often skewed by our own biases and experiences. We can easily get it wrong, even when we mean well.

At the end of the day, our version of justice can be heavily flawed. That’s why our focus has to shift away from our sense of justice and lean into God’s character instead. If we want to live out justice in our lives, we have to stay connected to who God is—His fairness, His love, His mercy.

Where Do We Go from Here?

So, what does this mean for us? It means we have to walk humbly. We have to seek justice, yes, but we do it knowing that we will never be perfect in our pursuit. We have to lean on God’s definition of justice and trust Him to do the heavy lifting.

Maybe that means showing up for someone who’s been overlooked. Maybe it means stepping into uncomfortable conversations or standing up for someone who can’t stand up for themselves. And maybe, just maybe, it means learning to balance justice with mercy in a way that reflects God’s heart.

As you go through your week, ask yourself: Where is God calling you to seek justice? And where is He asking you to trust Him with it?

Because at the end of the day, true justice doesn’t come from us. It comes from the One who sees perfectly, loves perfectly, and calls us to follow His lead.