Generous Justice (Timothy Keller)

The Bible talks about justice a lot- an awful lot.  Micah 6:8, for example, sums up what God requires of us:

He [God] 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?

Think about that- in the three basic things listed, the first one is justice.  God wants us to be just- to everyone.  In Generous Justice, well-known pastor Timothy Keller discusses this topic in depth.  What does doing justice mean?  What does the Bible say about justice in the Old and New Testaments?  Why and how should we do justice?  He looks at these questions and more in this short (189 pages) volume. 

It would take too long to review every single point in the book, but here are a few:
- justice frequently escapes the disadvantaged in society.  The Bible states that justice should be done to both rich and poor- but Keller (rightly) notes that in most societies, it's generally the poor who are unjustly treated.  Thus, when we talk about justice, we're talking about helping those with less improve their lives in lasting and meaningful ways.
- the importance of justice in the Christian life (it's not just about preaching the gospel; it's about providing true, material (and spiritual) assistance to those in need).  This appears again and again in Scripture, in both Testaments: God cares about the poor, and expects us to as well.  That care should take the form of real assistance- not just lip service.
- the connection between grace (unmerited favor) and justice (receiving what's due).  God shows us grace by enacting justice on His Son; therefore, he expects us to do likewise: to show grace to others by paying the penalty for their behavior.  This was, perhaps, the most eye-opening part of it for me.  My belief is that we should help those who will responsibly respond.  So, I have no problem giving money to someone- if they'll use it for a good cause.  I have a real problem giving to people who would squander it.  Keller's point is not to give foolishly, but to give realizing that yes, your gift may be squandered.  Because let's face it: God gives us everything, and we squander a tremendous amount ourselves.  Why should we expect others to be better?
- the concepts of wealth redistribution (which is in Scripture), personal relocation (deliberately moving your family into a bad neighborhood to help improve it), and providing relief in a way that promotes permanent fixes (and not indefinite dependency)
- the different ways we can do justice: by direct relief, individual development, community development, racial reconciliation, and social reform.  Basically, both short-term and long-term solutions are necessary.

Keller does a fantastic job backing up his statements both with Scripture and real-world examples.  He also does well in making this apolitical- he looks at typical conservative and liberal approaches to justice and finds good (and bad) things in both camps.  Overall, this is a great, convicting, and humbling read, whether you're a Christian or not.  Highly recommended.

Rating: A