It was like putting on 3D glasses and seeing a dimension I’d never seen before…

Last week, I had the blessing of attending a very large women’s leadership forum in Nashville.  This forum attracts roughly 1,600 ladies annually from around the country (and Canada) and is an incredible platform from which to learn, hear and receive from God.

This particular day, worship had ended and I had made my way to my first session.  Kristi McLelland – a Bible speaker, teacher, and professor – was the facilitator and she was going to be talking about Jesus, women, and justice.

Being completely candid, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I first sat down.  I’ve read the four Gospels countless times and thought I had a pretty good understanding of how Jesus related to and interacted with women.  God quickly showed me (again) that I always have room to learn!

As Kristi began to speak, I found myself sucked in to a whole new level of God’s Word I’d never understood before.  (Kristi has an enormous cultural understanding of the Middle East – having traveled there a dozen times in the past few years and teaching about it for decades.)

According to Kristi, justice in our western culture is lateral – it’s a matter of “right” and “wrong”.  The end. In Middle Eastern culture, though (and, applicable to the times of Jesus), justice is vertical – with shame being on the bottom of that vertical line and honor being at the top.

Biblical justice,” she pointed out, “is when the honorable reaches down to the shameful, lifts them out of their shame and restores their honor.” 

Go ahead…read it again.

Obviously, Jesus didn’t just do this for women.  He lifts ALL OF US out of our shame and restores our honor for those who put their trust in Him.

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne…” (Psalm 89:14)  Not justice the way we, as westerners see it or define it, but the justice of God.  The kind of justice that ALL of humanity needs – the kind where shame is replaced with honor.

For the Lord is a God of justice.  Blessed are all who wait for Him.” (Isaiah 30:18)  Most read verses like this and cringe at the first part of it as they watch and wait for God’s proverbial shoe to drop.  Yet, that is not what God is doing or what this is saying at all!

He invites us to come, draw near today, and be “lifted up” today!

Until next time, Grace and Glory!

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4 Comments

  1. Yes! This.Is.Truth.

    What a blessing you are as you listen to the Spirit and are faithful to give what you’ve received.
    Kristi stirred something in me. I want to further study middle-eatern culture. Just her short 45-minute session has changed the way I read the New Testament.

  2. What a great insight into the meaning of God’s justice!! I needed to hear this, and may very well re-read it every day this week. Love this so much!! Thank you for sharing!

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