What Does Social Justice Mean to You? Part 1 or Plant a Garden

A couple of years ago the question, "What does Social Justice mean to you?", was asked in a group of friends. We all gave our own quick 5 minute synopsis and moved on. But this question has always stuck with me. So I have deiced to turn it into a series of blog posts. As a note; I am not theologian, I have never been to seminary or bible college. I like theology but get tired of it quickly when it's all fine sounding arguments and no action. That being said please read on.....

When I think about Social Justice, I don't think about Jesus or the Prophets of the Bible. Instead I think back to Genius. There is something about that first story that intrigues me. What was here before we were? One interpretation of Genius would suggest chaos was here first. Nothingness swirling around in a cosmic void with no order, pattern, or purpose.

In the first few versus, God simply speaks and things start happening. There is light. There is water and land, ect. As he creates these things he also fills them. The light comes from the sun. The water is filled with fish. The land is inhabited with animals. And after creating the first people he gives them jobs. They are to tend to the garden, seemingly to keep chaos from creeping back into Gods creation.

A group of my neighbors are planting vegetable gardens this spring. To me, there is something Justice related about this action. Taming a wild and abandoned section of the city. Where there once was chaos there will soon be a harvest. Where there was there once was neglect will be now be sustenance.

This sounds a bit like Justice to me.

I am the God who brings life to the dead and calls things that aren't as thought they were. Romans 4:17b

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