Dreams of Justice

"Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow." (Isaiah 1:17)

This is what is on my mind today, but let's back up a little bit first...

I have two favourite chapel speakers that I remember from my time at Taylor University. The first is Ravi Zacharias. Anyone who knows me knows I thoroughly enjoy this man, as everyone should. To start off with, he has a kick-butt accent. He spoke at TU during my freshman year, during a time that I was really wrestling with questions about God, my faith, and how perhaps I saw a lot of Christians as stupid and naive. Well, Brother Ravi changed that. A well-known apologist, Zacharias struck me as not only an obviously intelligent man, but also a man who still found Christ compelling. On top of that, he was able to articulate his faith in a compelling and understandable way while also looking at the religions around us. Ravi always makes me think and be thankful that I know Christ. But today my purpose isn't to write about Ravi...

The other chapel speaker I remember was Gary Haugen, who I believe spoke during my sophomore year. (Really, for my haphazard attendance during those first two years, I got in some great speakers. Hmm...it makes me wonder if I missed anything good. Possible, but I doubt it...) For those of you who don't know, Gary is the founder of IJM, the International Justice Mission. Passionate about what he sees as God's calling in his (and really, all Christ-followers') lives, Haugen fights for those who can't necessarily fight for themselves. IJM fights for justice in many areas around the world, from getting stolen land back from widows in Africa, fighting illegal slavery and imprisionments, to rescuing girls out of sex trafficing and forced prostition all around the world, especially in Asia.

I remember leaving the chapel that Gary spoke at thinking, "Wow, I want to be a part of that. I want that to be a passion of mine. I don't want to sit by while others suffer, are tortured, lose all sense of dignity." Today, I still feel that way, probably more than I did four years ago. I say all this today because today at Trinity, Larry Martin, VP of Education and Dean of the IJM Institute, spoke on campus. Since I was first introduced to the International Justice Mission, one of dreams has been to work for them. I have many dreams, but that one is consistently at the top of my list. And I really would love to work for them, and who knows, maybe some day I will. But even if I don't, I know that I want to be more passionate, more aware, more involved with bringing justice to those who are powerless. And while I think IJM is doing a fantastic job, they are simply one organization, and I don't believe love and justice is regulated to simpkly one organization. I think of Shanta and the work she is doing in Nepal and India as only one example.

So this afternoon I am pondering over these things, wondering how I can do better, be more disciplined in prayer, be more informed, more active. I'm wondering how God might use my MA degree in Counseling Psychology if I continue on track and end up getting that degree in three years. I wonder what I can do during those three years. I wonder if I'm even in the right program even though I really love it on many levels and see its importance and relevance. I wonder about law school, about social work, about learning languages, about getting personally involved. I wonder about brining God glory, about my motives, about what it means to truly allow myself to be a tool that God may choose to work in and through. If you have any thoughts, let me know.

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." (Proverbs 31:8,9)