Tim Keller says of this passage: "The word for 'justice' is the Hebrew term mishpat. In Micah 6:8, 'mishpat' puts the emphasis on the action, chesedh puts it on the attitude [or motive] behind the action." To walk with God, then, we must do justice, out of merciful love.
Our actions of justice come from a heart of justice, formed by God. He cares for justice. As we are made more like his image, we too begin to care for those who are oppressed. This begins by having our hearts formed to a heart of justice through prayer.
"Over and over again, mishpat describes taking up the care and cause of widows, orphans, immigrants, and the poor - those who have been called 'the quartet of the vulnerable'…Today this quartet would be expanded to include the refugee, the migrant worker, the homeless, and many single parents and elderly people." Tim Keller, Generous Justice
a prayer for justice
God will you bring justice,
for the widows who live alone,
for the parents who parent by themselves,
for the refugees who live down the street,
for the men, women, and children who have no home,
for the foster care kids who feel unloved, without a place,
for the poor who are in a cycle of poverty,
for the addicted who cannot seem to get out of their plunge,
for the hands that do evil,
for the hearts that are crushed,
for the feet that are quick to shed blood.
Oh God, would you stop it all,
would you cause it end,
and bring a bit of heaven to your people down below.
He defends the cause [mishpat] of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving food and clothing. And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt." Deuteronomy 10:18-19
He defends the cause [mishpat] of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving food and clothing. And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt." Deuteronomy 10:18-19
AB.
