The world is broken and it’s been broken a long time. We broke it.

• that’s the story of the entire Bible
• When you get broken people together with other broken people, more people get more broken
• That’s the story of Jacob in the Torah

Injustice is inevitable in a broken world.

16 Now Laban had two daughters. The older daughter was named Leah, and the younger one was Rachel. 17 There was no sparkle in Leah’s eyes, but Rachel had a beautiful figure and a lovely face. 18 Since Jacob was in love with Rachel, he told her father, “I’ll work for you for seven years if you’ll give me Rachel, your younger daughter, as my wife.” 19 “Agreed!” Laban replied. “I’d rather give her to you than to anyone else. Stay and work with me.” 20 So Jacob worked seven years to pay for Rachel. But his love for her was so strong that it seemed to him but a few days. [Genesis 29:16-20]

21 Finally, the time came for him to marry her. “I have fulfilled my agreement,” Jacob said to Laban. “Now give me my wife so I can sleep with her.” 22 So Laban invited everyone in the neighborhood and prepared a wedding feast. 23 But that night, when it was dark, Laban took Leah to Jacob, and he slept with her. 24 (Laban had given Leah a servant, Zilpah, to be her maid.) 25 But when Jacob woke up in the morning—it was Leah! “What have you done to me?” Jacob raged at Laban. “I worked seven years for Rachel! Why have you tricked me?” [Genesis 29:21-25]

• What does this look like in your life?
• “Why, God, did you let this happen?” Divorce, Death, Lose Job
• “How frail is humanity! How short is life, how full of trouble!” Job 14:1
• Look at Laban’s weak response

26 “It’s not our custom here to marry off a younger daughter ahead of the firstborn,” Laban replied. 27 “But wait until the bridal week is over; then we’ll give you Rachel, too—provided you promise to work another seven years for me.” [Genesis 29:26-27]

• Laban never planned to fulfill the deal.
• THIS injustice, it didn’t have to do with what Jacob did or didn’t do. Laban was going to do this either way.

Injustice often isn’t about you but the brokenness around you

Sometimes we take injustice personally, when it isn’t.

• Sometimes it isn’t about what we’ve done wrong. It’s about what’s already wrong in them.
• Laban wasn’t out to get Jacob. He was out to get everybody. It wasn’t personal to Jacob. That was just true to Laban’s character.

It’s possible to do everything right and still see everything go wrong.

We live in a broken world, surrounded by broken people, who keep on breaking people.

• Here’s what Jacob does…

28 So Jacob agreed to work seven more years. A week after Jacob had married Leah, Laban gave him Rachel, too. 29 (Laban gave Rachel a servant, Bilhah, to be her maid.) 30 So Jacob slept with Rachel, too, and he loved her much more than Leah. He then stayed and worked for Laban the additional seven years. [Genesis 29:28-30]

Our obsession for why this happened can keep us from Responding appropriately to what happened.
The “why” question will keep you stuck in your pain for the rest of your life.

The better question to ask is “What now?”

• That’s the question Jacob answered and he kept moving

• The first is injustice that affects only me
• The second is injustice that affects others (possibly me also)

IF IT ONLY AFFECTS ME?

“You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles.” (‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5:38-41‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

• One of the most difficult things Jesus ever said.
• This was the path that Jacob took
• Not that they should get away with it. It’s that I’m not the score keeper. “Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.” (‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:17-21‬)
• God keeps better score than I do
• And he did in Jacob’s case also. Laban went down in history as a scoundrel. It never affected Jacob badly and led to the twelve tribes of Israel instead of just two
• But it isn’t the path you should ALWAYS take

IF IT AFFECTS OTHERS?

“Give justice to the poor and the orphan; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute. Rescue the poor and helpless; deliver them from the grasp of evil people.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭82:3-4‬)

• When it comes to the injustice that OTHERS suffer around us?
• Can I use MLK as an example? How much suffering did he personally endure without complaint? If it was only about him, that was one thing but all of US?!
• I can turn MY cheek. But I can’t turn SOMEONE else’s cheek.
• If it’s just about me, fine. But if it’s about others, then I put myself in harm’s for them!
• “Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.” (‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭1:17‬)

In John 15, Jesus says we’re to lay our lives down for others. To risk greater for the welfare of those who need us.

• “God blesses those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.” (Mt 5:6)
• “Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no ford or clothing, and you say, ‘Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well’ – but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?” (James 2:15-16)

As people of faith and followers of Jesus, we run toward Injustice and work against it.

• We are defenders of the oppressed, the warriors against injustice
• “Our people must learn to do good by meeting the urgent needs of others…” (Titus‬ ‭3:14‬)

Jesus even said this would be the evidence of those who followed him

• ““But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left. “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’” (Matthew‬ ‭25:31-36‬)
• The why doesn’t matter as much as the what now!

The question isn’t about my rights, or them being violated. The question is about WHAT is right.

• Is this something that has only happened to me? If so, can I trust God to make it right? If so, then I can forgive and move on.
• Is this something happening to others?  If so, is there ANYTHING I can do about it? If so, then I must?
• Who is hurting, suffering, hungry, lonely? They are now my responsibility

Can we sketch out a few Examples?

• You don’t jump in and defend every friend on Facebook who gets pushback from some post they made
• You don’t rail against my mother-in-law for embarrassing me the last time we got together
• BUT, if you have a salaried position and job security, as a Christian we step up to help those who get paid hourly and have been cut back
• The WHY doesn’t matter as much as the WHAT NOW
• You have a college degree, internships, connections, privilege that we now need to leverage for those who don’t
• “Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.” (1 Tim ‭6:17-19‬)

• What is most loving and most compassionate?
• Against me? The offender
• Against others? The victim

The Bible teaches personal responsibility AND welfare