Woe to those who acquit the guilty for a bribe, but deny justice to the innocent. Isaiah 5:22,23 (NIV)

Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:8

What do we think about as we go about our day? At Tai chi class we talked about the mind leading our spirit and our body. Before we move we should think  about what we are doing. The thought might be: I'm  going to step forward, I'm going to walk over to the refrigerator, maybe I'm going to walk outside and hope I don't slip. No mindless walking and perhaps falling. The point is our thoughts are important. We don't just act without thinking about it at least we shouldn't. In his letter to the Philippians Paul talks about the things that people should be thinking about things that are true, honorable, just and so on. Thinking about good things, those things that are worthy of praise are what Paul encourages.

What does Isaiah say the people in his time our thinking about? The verse that we have for today is directed at the judges, those who made decisions about the life of the people and whether people were following rules. They determined whether they should be penalized in some way for what they might have done. This verse is the sixth woe in chapter five of Isaiah. He says woe to those in power that focus on money and their own pleasure, they accept bribes without regard for doing justice. Innocent people are judged wrongly, those with money get off easily.  

Isaiah chapter 10:1-2 he writes “Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people.” Earlier, in Isaiah chapter one, verse 23 we read the same theme, addressed to Jerusalem: “Your rulers are rebels, companions of thieves, they all love bribes and chase after gifts. They do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widows case does not come before them.”  

The God that we worship created us to do justice, to not think about money and our own gain. Rather we are to think about honorable and just things as we go about our lives.  

Lord, we sometimes struggle with our place in the world. At times, we haven’t done that which you would have us do. Forgive us, please, and guide us in what is true, honorable, just, pure, pleasing, and commendable. Help us to speak up rather than stay silent in the face of injustice.  Amen.

Chris Gabel 

Ministries
Teaching Mission Party