Daily Devotions

In Psalm 33:5 we come across the words,  “The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love. “

We tend to think of “justice” as punishment for wrongdoing. But throughout the Bible, justice is about more than punishment. It’s about seeing that people receive their due.

The law talks about how the tabernacle priests were to be supported by a share of Israel’s wealth. In Deuteronomy 18:3, this is called “the priest’s due (mishpat).” So we can think of justice as receiving what one is due-both good and bad.

The psalmist tells us that God loves righteousness, but He also loves when people receive what they’re due. Much of today’s politics seem to be built on what I would call ‘playground semantics' where the overarching mantra is the cry, ‘that's not fair!'

A socialist once came to see Andrew Carnegie and soon was railing against the injustice of Carnegie having so much money. In his view, wealth was meant to be divided equally. Carnegie asked his secretary for an assessment of everything he owned and at the same time looked up the figures on world population. He did a little arithmetic on a pad and then said to his secretary. "Give this gentleman 16 cents. That's his share of my wealth." Well, that’s one man's view of fairness.”

However, Biblical Fairness sees a situation from the viewpoint of each person involved and not just our own. It seeks the best, just, equable solution, even if it hurts us. It does not seek to please one over another, nor does it seek more than is needed. Fairness is not insisting on having our rights over someone else's!

Dear God, I come before you today to pray for fairness in our world. You are a God of justice, and I ask that you instil a sense of fairness in the hearts of all people. Help us to treat others with equality and respect, regardless of their race, gender, or social status. Lord, I pray for those who have been victims of injustice. Open the eyes of those in power to see the inequalities that exist and empower them to take action. Give strength to those who have been oppressed and grant them the courage to speak out and fight for their rights. 

Guide our leaders, both in government and in our communities, to make decisions that promote fairness and equality. May they be guided by the principles of justice and work towards creating a society where everyone is treated with dignity and fairness. I also ask for your forgiveness, Lord, for the times when I have been unfair towards others. Help me to see the value in each individual and to treat them with the same fairness that I desire for myself. Thank you, God, for your commitment to justice and fairness. May we all strive to live in a world where fairness prevails and where everyone can experience the blessings of justice. In your name, I pray. Amen.