MODULE 9: Living Justly — Meeting 4

Discipleship : Meeting 4

DISCUSS the disciple’s responses to the What is Your Justice Calling? Resource. If the disciple is still unsure on how he or she is specifically called to address an injustice, work through the questions below:

Discuss

Identify one giant of injustice that the disciple will engage with on a deeper level beginning this week.

• It can be easy to choose more than one, but for this practice, select just one to focus on. You may also find that in focusing on one, you impact them all.

• Brainstorm together. Do internet searches about the issue and your community. Do whatever research you need to find a clear next step in order to press in to that identified area of injustice in a tangible way. Find ways to partner with organizations and people who are already fighting this battle, and also find ways to tackle this giant in your everyday life where you already are.

• Remember it’s ok to start with something simple. Your action step doesn’t have to be difficult, but it should be a challenge.

As you complete this module, consider two things:

1. When it comes to facing injustice, we can be motivated by guilt, or by compassion. What is the difference?

2. READ Isaiah 61 together.

Remember: Jesus doesn’t ask us to take on the burdens of the vulnerable or to execute justice on wrongdoers by ourselves. We can join Jesus in bringing justice without fear. Don’t lose heart or become overwhelmed. Bearing the weight of the world and bringing justice to the oppressed is Jesus’ job. The burden is not on us, but on him.

God is all-powerful, and he chooses to exercise that power on behalf of the powerless. No matter where you are, or what your unique situation is, you are empowered by God with gifts, abilities, and resources that can be leveraged for the sake of the vulnerable.

Close your time by praying for light, power, creativity, and compassion to fuel you as you go.

ASSIGNMENT: Make a clear step of engagement that pulls you further in to the area of injustice you determined with your discipler. Remember to update your discipler about this at your next meeting as you begin the Making Disciples module, if you have not completed it already.

Building a Justice Action Plan

A calling becomes real when it turns into action. By the end of this meeting, the disciple should have one clear, specific step of engagement they will take in the coming weeks. Use these five parts to shape the plan and write it in your journal:

The giant. Which of the five giants of injustice will you focus on: spiritual emptiness, oppression, lack of education, disease or poverty?
The specific issue. Name the particular form of injustice, such as loneliness among the elderly, food insecurity in your city or literacy among children.
The partner. Which church ministry, organisation or person is already working on this issue that you could join?
The first step. What will you do in the next two weeks? Be specific: a date, a place, an amount, a commitment.
The rhythm. How will you keep engaging over the next six months?

Guilt or Compassion?

This meeting asks an important question: are we motivated by guilt or by compassion? Guilt says, "I have to do something so I can feel better about myself." It tends to be short-lived and self-focused. Compassion says, "I see this person as God sees them, and I want to love them." Jesus was moved by compassion when he saw the crowds (Matthew 9:36), and his compassion led to action. Compassion lasts because it flows from God’s love for us, not from our own effort to earn it.

Isaiah 61 and the Mission of Jesus

When Jesus began his public ministry in Nazareth, he read from Isaiah 61: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free" (Luke 4:18). Then he said, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." Justice is part of Jesus’ mission, and as his disciples we join him in it. As you read Isaiah 61 together, notice how the passage moves from God’s action to the renewal of whole communities: "They will rebuild the ancient ruins" (Isaiah 61:4).

Staying Faithful Over Time

Share your plan with a friend or small group so they can encourage you.
Schedule your engagement in your calendar.
Pray regularly for the people and the issue you are serving.
Expect challenges and setbacks; they are part of the journey.
Celebrate small signs of change.
Update your discipler as you begin Module 10.

For the Discipler

Help your disciple choose a step that is simple but challenging. Offer to join them for the first step if possible. Close your time by praying for light, power, creativity and compassion as they go. This is often one of the most meaningful moments on the Pathway.

Continue the Pathway — You are in Module 9: Living Justly, Meeting 4 of 4. Previous: Meeting 3 — Your Justice Calling. Next: Module 10: Making Disciples. Every essay, worksheet and video for this module is collected on the Module 9 resources page.