How do believers bring peace in times of turmoil? What are we, God's children, to do when faced with injustice? The word of God is clear. The Prophet Isaiah wrote to the children of Israel to "learn to do good: seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widows." The Prophet Micah wrote that we are called to "do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God." In seasons when oppression seems to reign, it is not enough simply to become indignant, spouting pious platitudes, yet taking no steps to bring about significant change. Both Isaiah and Micah suggest to us decisive positive action. Isaiah said that we should do...seek...rescue...defend...and plead. Micah as well suggests that we should do...love...and walk.... All of these dictates are verbs which suggest action.

In these difficult days when the rights of the oppressed are being challenged and lives are being lost due to excessive and inappropriate policing, we must take decisive steps to bring about justice for all of us. There are some among us who may say that they ought not or need not participate, or speak up on the current issues of injustice that face us as American people. To those I will respond with the words of Rev. Martin Niemoeller, a Protestant Pastor and social activist in the days of Nazi Germany who later became the President of the World Council of Churches. Rev. Niemoeller wrote,

First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist so I did not speak out. Then they came for the Socialists and the Trade Unionists, but I was neither, so I did not speak out. Then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew so I did not speak out. And when they came for me, there was no one left to speak out for me.

We must speak! We must act! We must do justice as God would have us to do!