Good News About Injustice

A few years ago, I was privileged to hear Gary Haugen speak at Saddleback Church. Mr. Haugen is president of International Justice Mission, which is a human rights agency that rescues victims of violence, sexual exploitation, slavery, and oppression. He spoke about many of the good things IJM is doing to help the poor, free the slave & bring justice to many countries around the globe.
He told stories of 12 & 13 year-old girls being sold into slavery because their parent(s) had debt they could not pay & then made to work 15 hour days, every day until that debt is paid, only earning pennies a day. In other places those girls were given to forced child prostitution, holed up in cellars with no windows, fresh air, food & a constant stream of men. Still other accounts of racial violence, state-sponsored genocide & religious persecution.
Good News About Injustice is Mr. Haugen's book which tells of the good & necessary work IJM is accomplishing for the glory of God & the salvation of the needy. "The good news about injustice is that God is against it", Mr. Haugen submits. God desperately cares for the neediest, for the broken, for the destitute - & not just in the spiritual sense. Throughout the Scriptures God is calling for His people to take up the cause of the widow, the orphan & the alien. God continues that call today.
Mr. Haugen breaks up his book into three sections. In the first section, he tells stories of what people have done to bring change in regions where there is injustice. In the second section, Mr. Haugen delves into God's feelings about injustice. There are 4 truths about the character of God which Mr. Haugen expounds upon regarding injustice.
1. God loves justice &, conversely, hates injustice
2. God has compassion for those who suffer injustice - everywhere around the world, without distinction or favor.
3. God judges & condemns those who perpetrate injustice.
4. God seeks active rescue for the victims of injustice.

In the final section of the book, Mr. Haugen describes what we, as individuals & as the church can do to answer God's call regarding injustice.

James says "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world" (1.27). Not only are we to grow in our faith & share that faith with others, but on an equal level, God tells us to help the helpless. Many in the church are increasingly heeding this call. But this is not about who is gifted in an area - this is a call for all believers to use those specific gifts to do this work.

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing"
- Edmund Burke

You can pick up Mr. Haugen's book here for 20% off.
You can visit IJM here to see more of what they are doing.


Category: Social Justice