How can I keep from treating others unjustly?
Proverbs 28:5Evil people don’t understand justice, but those who follow the Lord understand completely.
Jeremiah 22:16“He [Josiah] gave justice and help to the poor and needy, and everything went well for him. Isn’t that what it means to know me?” says the Lord.
Ezekiel 22:6-12“Every leader in Israel who lives within your walls is bent on murder. Fathers and mothers are treated with contempt. Foreigners are forced to pay for protection. Orphans and widows are wronged and oppressed among you. You despise my holy things and violate my Sabbath days of rest. People accuse others falsely and send them to their death. . . . They never even think of me and my commands, says the Sovereign Lord.”
To keep from treating others unjustly, we need to know God and his commands. The more we walk with our just God, the less we will want to act unjustly.
Psalm 7:3-10O Lord my God, if I have done wrong or am guilty of injustice, if I have betrayed a friend or plundered my enemy without cause, then let my enemies capture me. Let them trample me into the ground and drag my honor in the dust. . . . For you look deep within the mind and heart, O righteous God. God is my shield, saving those whose hearts are true and right.
Psalm 26:2Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me. Test my motives and my heart.
To keep from treating others unjustly, we should ask God to show us areas of injustice in our lives. As we see what God sees in us, every injustice will be revealed.
Exodus 22:21“You must not mistreat or oppress foreigners in any way. Remember, you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.”
Deuteronomy 24:17-18“True justice must be given to foreigners living among you and to orphans, and you must never accept a widow’s garment as security for her debt. Always remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God redeemed you from your slavery. That is why I have given you this command.”
To keep from treating others unjustly, we should be sensitive and empathetic to others, especially to those who are vulnerable to injustice.
Job 31:13-4“If I have been unfair to my male or female servants when they brought their complaints to me, how could I face God? What could I say when he questioned me?”
Ecclesiastes 8:5Those who obey him [the king] will not be punished. Those who are wise will find a time and a way to do what is right.
Ecclesiastes 10:2A wise person chooses the right road; a fool takes the wrong one.
Isaiah 56:1“Be just and fair to all. Do what is right and good, for I am coming soon to rescue you and to display my righteousness among you.”
Jeremiah 22:3“This is what the Lord says: Be fair-minded and just. Do what is right! Help those who have been robbed; rescue them from their oppressors. Quit your evil deeds! Do not mistreat foreigners, orphans, and widows. Stop murdering the innocent!”
Romans 13:7Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.
To keep from treating others unjustly, we need to follow God and his right ways of living and dealing with people. We should do to others as we would want God and others to do to us.
Exodus 23:1-7“You must not pass along false rumors. You must not cooperate with evil people by lying on the witness stand. You must not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you are called to testify in a dispute, do not be swayed by the crowd to twist justice. And do not slant your testimony in favor of a person just because that person is poor. If you come upon your enemy’s ox or donkey that has strayed away, take it back to its owner. If you see that the donkey of someone who hates you has collapsed under its load, do not walk by. Instead, stop and help. In a lawsuit, you must not deny justice to the poor. Be sure never to charge anyone falsely with evil. Never sentence an innocent or blameless person to death, for I never declare a guilty person to be innocent.”
Deuteronomy 16:19“You must never twist justice or show partiality. Never accept a bribe, for bribes blind the eyes of the wise and corrupt the decisions of the godly.”
Proverbs 24:23Here are some further sayings of the wise: It is wrong to show favoritism when passing judgment.
Luke 16:10“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.”
James 2:1-10How can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others? For example, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes. If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, “You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor”—well, doesn’t this discrimination show that your judgments are guided by evil motives? . . . For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws.
To keep from treating others unjustly, we should make no compromise with injustice and, as we live justly, show no partiality or discrimination.
