Last night a group of students gathered again to hear Dr. Scot McKnight share; this time on the topic of social justice.

Where is justice?

Where is the Church?

These two questions seemed to echo throughout the course of the evening.

Where is justice?

Where is the Church?

Both great questions.

Important questions.

And questions that we don’t often enough associate with one another.

According to McKnight, we too often look to our political parties for the answer to the first question: where is justice?

Will the democrats provide?

Or will it be the Republicans?

We believe that change has to happen at the macro level. And that we, the people, are powerless to bring about any change of size or substance.

So we often turn to, and put our hope in, the government.

We wait.

We wait to cast our ballot — with the belief that justice will come will result.

And then we wait some more.

And while this might be a part of the solution, McKnight suggests that neither party can do what God can do through the Church.

What God desires to do through the Church!

The Church, beyond any political party, should be the answer to the question: where is justice?!

As a body of believers, not chasing an entangled political agenda; but trying to live out Jesus’ command to “love thy neighbor” — we have the potential to do lots and LOTS of little things that will help to bring about BIG change in our world.

Poverty.

Hunger.

Disease.

Racism.

Sexism.

Injustice of any and every kind can be addressed.

Even changed.

And although he didn’t come right out and say it, it seems as though he believes that the activist nature of today’s students are a shining example of the way the Church could look! And I’m with him on that!

Students believe they can bring about change — NOW.

They don’t want to wait… and don’t feel compelled to wait.

Sure, some get derailed, or caught up in the belief that it has to be a grand, sweeping change that happens in an instant… but many more seem to recognize that they can make a difference in the corner of the campus or community that God has placed them in.

And from there, who’s to say what’s possible.

McKnight used countless stories of college students who are making a difference — BIG and small — in the world today.

But he also pointed to an unlikely model from the biblical text — Mary, mother of Jesus.

As a young teen she was chosen by God to birth and raise the Messiah.

As a Jew, under Roman rule, she undoubtedly believed that justice was coming — and God would be bringing it through the child she would bear.

Imagine the countless “little things” that she did as a mother that helped to prepare her Son for his grand role.

Feedings.

Changing diapers.

Sleepless nights.

Teething and toddling.

Learning to talk and run and jump.

Watching Jesus as he grew and wondering how? When? Why not now?!

How long must we wait!?!?

Then seeing the beginning of Jesus’ ministry and believing that justice was about to be hers…

Then, confusion…

Things weren’t happening as she thought they would.

Jesus was on the “outs” with the people she thought he should be gathering together — the people who would eventually call for his death.

And eventually he did die.

And where was the justice? She had to have wondered…

With a broken heart she waited and wondered — until Pentecost.

Then, Mary likely began to see a little more clearly the plan that God had for bringing about justice to the created order.

And not only did McKnight use the story of Mary to illustrate the importance of seemingly “small things,” but he also helped us to understand that sometimes — often times — justice does not look like what we think it should.

Had Mary not been faithful in the small things all along the way, had she simply waited for the revolution — the grand, sweeping change that she anticipated the Messiah would bring about in an instant — then we might be telling a different tale about her.

And it points us back to our students — the ones who are willing and able to do lots and lots of small things — in the name of love.

They are willing to bring about change one “small” task a time.

They are willing to help the person right in front of them, as much as they are to help a complete stranger on the opposite side of the world.

And its high time that those of us who “lead” these students — leaders of the Church, the 3rd way — to stop and take notice of the example they are setting for us in how to be the change in the world that we want to see… with the full knowledge that the “end product” may not look anything like we think it should.

What do you think?

• How do you see students setting an example for justice in the world? Particularly in the “small” things?
• Where are you seeing the Church fail, or succeed, in helping to bring about justice to those in need?
• What one change do you hope might come in this area of Church and justice in the next decade?

Take a minute to share a thought in the comment section below.

And to read more posts inspired by Scot McKnight’s visit to campus, click on:

• Are Your Students Universalists?
• Do College Students Walk Away From Their Faith Because of The Gospel They’ve Been Preached?
• Moralistic Therapeutic Deism OR Following Jesus