31 Virtues for our Kids ~ Justice

Justice

For the month of January we will be praying for 31 Virtues for our Kids maybe even for ourselves too!

Psalm 11:7 (New International Version)
For the LORD is righteous, he loves justice; upright men will see his face.

This next verse is dear to my heart one of my favs!
Micah 6:8 (New International Version)
8 He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.



Over the summer, the girls and I decided to protest at the White House (very briefly a baby boy didn't let us stay longer than 5 min). There was a lesson that I wanted to teach the girls, that we need to stand up for what is right. I shared with them that we are very blessed to live in a country were we can peacefully disagree with our government and through our votes guide our country. The girls and I think abortion is very wrong and we wanted to stand up and say that we should stop this practice in our country. We wanted to make a stand for what is right. So we got out our markers, paper and tape and the girls came up with a message....



But justice is more than just and issue, it is about who you are as an individual. To be honest, I don't think I have ever prayed this for my kids. I want them to do justly but I have never prayed that this virtue would grow in their lives. I decided to look up the word and get a better understanding of it

Justice~the quality of being just; righteousness, equitableness, or moral rightness: to uphold the justice of a cause. (dictionary.com)

Just~guided by truth, reason, justice, and fairness, based on right; rightful; lawful, righteous,actual, real, or genuine. (dictionary.com)


So after looking it up and thinking about it....I have been praying these things but maybe not as fervently as I should; because in Psalm 11:7 God LOVES justice. If God loves something it probably is a pretty important thing to have in one's life. And of course, I want my children to be real and genuine, full of righteousness and truth. I want them to act fairly with each other and the people who they come in contact with. I don't want them to have to be right but I want them to desire the one who is right! I want them to understand the idea of "Do unto others as you would have them do to you". I want them to speak up for those who have no voice. I want them to love God and that means to love justice. Now hold on for the next one because along with justice there also comes.....(read tomorrows)



*"God, help my children to love justice as You do and act justly in all they do"



Let's find ways to exemplify Christ to those around us and especially to our children; and we will...

*by Bob Hostetler, it is excerpted from Pray! magazine issue #4, 31 Biblical Virtues to Pray for Your Kids