For me, social justice includes personal justice. How do I practice justice in my relationships and in my community? I define Justice as having a sustainable effect on people’s quality of life. Some of the following are ‘works of mercy’ because they support needs of people but need to be done over and over. John Wesley believed ‘works of mercy’ and ‘justice’ are both necessary. Often we take steps of ‘works of mercy’ to move toward ‘works of justice’. Track down old teachers and mentors, pastors, friends. Let them know the influence they have had in your life. Tithe your grocery bill. Each month add up your grocery expense and donate donate 10% of your bill to CAC or other food pantry. 3. Volunteer at a food pantry to fill SnackPacks for Children. 4. Write a letter to your national Representative and Senators to support Bread for the World. For information go to bread.org 4. Sign up with Youth Friends for the next school year. 5. Volunteer with a charity that does hands on service for others in need. 6. For Birthdays, Anniversaries and Christmas donate the amount you would spend on a gift in honor of a family member, or friend to UMCOR, Heifer, Inc. or other organization that serves the poor and/or people in developing countries to have a self-sufficient life. 7. Become a pen-pal with someone in prison. (Contact Dale Shotts 816.353.1259 for information). 8. Eat only a bowl of rice a day for a week (take a multi-vitamin and plenty of fluids). and donate the cost of regular meals to feed the hungry. And remember and pray for the 25,000 people who die of malnutrition every day. 9.Go without food (fasting) for one day to remember the two billion people who live on less than a dollar a day. “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Isaiah 58:6-8. 9.Add your name to the UMC I am Prophet Driven! campaign to support a just economy and make poverty a priority for economic recovery. Every 33 seconds a child is born into poverty in the United States. ‘If you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness… Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in. – Isaiah 58:10,12’
PRACTICING PERSONAL JUSTICE
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