The Pastoral Grind

 (Originally written for The Baldwin Bulletin: Pastor's Column April 28, 2021) He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8) But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. (Amos 5:24) Christians are to be people of justice, kindness, humility, and righteousness. We don’t always live up to those virtues. There have been times throughout history when people claiming Christ have been unjust, unkind, unhumble, and unrighteous. When we sin against other people, we’ve likely left at least one of these requirements behind. When we look specifically at “justice,” the Hebrew word in both these verses is dealing with fairness and integrity, governing or executing what is right, and justice is that which fits with God’s standards. Part of why the Old Testament Israelites were punished by God was for oppressing the poor and marginali