More Jesus, Less Injustice

511 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 12:1-4,”Then the LORD sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said to him: "There were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor. 2 "The rich man had exceedingly many flocks and herds. 3 "But the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and nourished; and it grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup and lay in his bosom; and it was like a daughter to him. 4 "And a traveler came to the rich man, who refused to take from his own flock and from his own herd to prepare one for the wayfaring man who had come to him; but he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him." (2 Sam 12:1-4) Nathan comes to David (the government) with a complaint. It seems that one of David's poor subjects has been grossly mistreated by a rich subject. This is a matter of civil justice and Nathan rightly takes it to the king in order for justice to be meted out. Nathan is simply doing what believers are encouraged to do in Pr 31:8,9 “Open your mouth for the speechless, In the cause of all who are appointed to die. 9 Open your mouth, judge righteously, And plead the cause of the poor and needy.” Nathan was pleading the cause of the poor man to the one who had the God-granted power to do something about it. David's instructions for handling the matter are found in Le 19:15 'You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor. With this principle as his guideline David is to determine the penalty. Rom 13:4 b says this about civil authorities: “for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.” It's okay for Christians to point out injustice in society to the government, but let us never forget our main responsibility. “Go!” “Preach the gospel.” For the nation that embraces the gospel, embraces Jesus who is referred to in 1 Pet 3:18 as “the just one.” More Jesus...less injustice, and less need for the government to step in with the sword.