Speak, and judge righteously on behalf of the poor

(cross-posted at Intellectuelle)

Chapter 31 of Proverbs, "The words of King Lemuel, the oracle, which his mother taught him," begins with an exhortation to kings not to imbibe strong drink lest they "forget what has been decreed and pervert the rights of all the afflicted." Such drink ought instead be given to "him to is perishing...him whose life is bitter" that he may "forget his poverty and remember his trouble no more." In other words, as a palliative to the one so ruined, there is nothing left in his life to ruin.

Following this, "Open your mouth for the dumb, for the rights of all the unfortunate. Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the rights of the afflicted and needy." (Prov. 31:8-9, NASB)

Mercy, and justice.

In my recent post on hopelessness, I wrote mainly of an emotional condition. Yet often conditions of circumstantial hopelessness and helplessness accompany the emotional states, and vice-versa. Often the afflicted are unable to speak for themselves, or are afraid that no one will listen. Or their speech falls on deaf ears. Those of us who have been well cared for need to recognize that the saying, "God helps those who help themselves," doesn't apply to those who can't help themselves. Besides, even when we have the means necessary to tend to our own needs, we are still dependent upon others. The only difference between "us" and "them" might be that we have had people provide for us, and they haven't.

We may fancy ourselves independent, even while we lament the individuation of our society. But it is still people that make and run the machines that provide our goods and services, even if we never see them. It is still people who create the machines. (Society has in many ways become less personalized, yet we are no less dependent upon others than people have ever been.)

It's just not true that the one who trusts God and works hard will have all his basic needs met. It's just not true. He (or she) may achieve final glory in Christ, but may perish meanwhile in earthly abjection, or dejection.

Perhaps one of the most effective ways to reach "the culture," and the world-at-large, with the gospel might be to stand up for the helpless and voiceless, by speaking up for unborn babies and those on life-support, for children, for the abused, for the injured and ill, and even those who aren't in power but have something valuable to offer. Those who have voice or power to help--who have power of some sort, even if only to speak to those in power--must use this power to speak for the voiceless, the unfortunate, the afflicted, and the needy, judging rightly where real needs and true justice lie.

This is the opposite of using the unfortunate by ignoring or exploiting them, thereby perverting the rights of the afflicted. Mercy and justice are (or should be), I believe, the heart of the social gospel.