He will not cry or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.” vss. 2-3
Isaiah 42:1-9
While Isaiah was not speaking of Jesus, he did provide a template for his ministry. There is little doubt that as Jesus began his work in Galilee he saw himself in the description of the Servant. When he stood before the congregation in Nazareth and proclaimed, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your presence,” that’s what he was doing. He was adopting the role of the Servant for himself. He would be the one who would faithfully bring forth justice. And he did it just as Isaiah described, not with military might or heavy-handed revenge, but in a quiet way that respected the dignity of every person. His would be a gentle justice, one that lifted up the broken and gave dignity to the oppressed.
And even though Jesus endured enormous injustice in his suffering and death, his disciples have been fulfilling his vision ever since. All over the world they have been the ones quietly raising their voices on behalf of victims and refugees, and working to correct the rampant injustices that plague the good of God’s creation. They work behind the scenes to ensure that the hungry will be fed and prisoners be set free. They have no choice in their work. After all, they are servants of the Servant!
Thought for the Day: Where do I see justice being done?
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