The good news is that our hearts are in the right place. The bad news is that many of us are novices who might be doing more harm than good.
Deep Justice vs. Not-So-Deep ServiceNew York City youth worker Jeremy Del Rio describes social justice in two very simple words: righting wrongs. Service is vital to the life of faith, a high calling modeled for us consistently by Jesus; but His call to love is also a call to look for more lasting solutions. Righting wrongs is only possible when we understand the difference between service and social justice.
Youth ministries that do shallow service look at the world’s brokenness, feel bad about it and offer Band-Aids—free turkeys to the homeless on Thanksgiving, clothes for a naked child in Zambia at Christmas. The turkey and the clothes fix what’s broken, but often only for a few hours.
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Youth ministries engaged in deep justice take a different approach. Like their shallower counterparts, they see the breakdown, feel bad and send turkeys and T-shirts; yet they also investigate deeper: How did these wrongs come to exist in the first place? How can we help the poor and marginalized fix their own problems? What does God want us to do that will make a difference beyond today?
Sadly, few youth ministries are willing to do whatever it takes—for as long as it takes—until the systems that perpetuate brokenness are fixed. There are several ways to identify the differences between service and justice.
Deep Justice Asks WhyDeep justice is not afraid to ask why the world is broken and then take steps to fix it. Why invites us to truly listen to and get to know the voiceless in our world. Why requires a long-term perspective, because poverty and powerlessness cannot be eliminated in weekend bursts of activism. Why invites us to interact with social systems—because we cannot truly help individuals until we also change the systems that rob dignity. Why forces us to face the truth about our own participation in the systems and structures that rob the poor of opportunities.
One word of warning: Why is not a popular question. Others may question you and your motives when you ask why. Bishop Oscar Romero, the martyred leader of the Nicaraguan church, once commented, “When I feed the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor are poor, they call me a communist7.” Deep justice means not only asking why, but being prepared to act on the answer.
Deep Justice in Real Life KidsYou may be wondering if 13- and 17-year-olds are capable of deep justice. They are—we’ve seen it with our own eyes. When Kristin was a sophomore in our church’s youth ministry, Sarah, her small group leader, sent out monthly e-mail newsletters reminding the girls of a spring break trip to inner-city San Francisco. When it came time to sign up for the trip, Kristin was the only one from her small group who signed up. She didn’t know anyone else going on the trip, and she almost chickened out. But Sarah kept prodding her to go, and Kristin packed her bags and headed to San Francisco with the rest of the team.