I noticed this post from February of 2018 was trending lately here at Becoming Yourself. Given the current social justice issue raging across the globe, I decided to share it again in hopes that it’s helpful for you in processing your own response to these troubled times.
I just found out a friend has cancer. She’s a great person. Young, married with a couple of kids, very talented, and giving. One thought that keeps running through my mind is, “This is not fair.” And you know what? It isn’t fair. But as we’ve all learned, “fairness” does not seem to be at the heart of this world’s operating system. Injustice appears to be everywhere. Sometimes it’s seemingly random, like cancer. Sometimes it’s caused by the actions of others. We hear stories of it everyday.
So what do we do with that? I’m not talking about a philosophical debate on the reasons for the Problem of Pain or the Existence of Evil. That’s a discussion for another time. My question is this: how do we respond to the reality of injustice in our world? There are basically three options:
1. The Ostrich Response – we bury our heads in the sand and pretend we don’t see injustice.
2. The Stone Response – we acknowledge the pain caused by injustice but harden our hearts to it.
3. The Servant Response – we open our eyes to the injustice in the world and try to do something about it.
I’ve tried those first two options before. Many times. I’ve pretended that I didn’t see people suffering because it made me feel sad and guilty. At other times I’ve hardened my heart to the pain caused by injustice because I felt powerless to do anything of significance to stop it. But over time, I’ve learned that if I’m going to become the kind of person I really want to be, I have to choose the Servant Response. To go even further, I think if there’s any hope for the world to become what I believe it should be, most people have to choose option #3. I’m guessing many of you would agree.
So, if you want to be a Servant to others, if you desire to be a part of the solution to the problem of injustice, how do you do it? There’s a thousand ways to answer that question. No one response fits everyone, but here are a few questions you can ask yourself to get started:
1. What cause moves my heart?
We’re all wired differently. We’ve all had unique experiences and have particular passions. Find the one area of injustice that most speaks to you. Is it people who are hungry? Those lacking clean water? Kids that don’t have access to education? Young women trapped in sex trafficking? People suffering from homelessness? Those impacted by natural disasters? Groups dealing with racial, gender, or orientation prejudice? Whatever it is, zero in and choose just one.
2. What one practical step can I take to make a difference in that area?
No one can do everything but everyone can do something. Don’t start out with a goal that’s too lofty or nebulous like “end world hunger.” Make it clear and achievable. Start with something like “I will volunteer once at my local food bank” or “I will sign up to sponsor a needy child in another country.” The answer might be obvious to you or it might take a little research. A simple internet search on your area of interest can yield a lot of options. Try volunteermatch.org, a website that lists volunteer opportunities by category in your area or one of my wife Lisa’s favorite sites, donorschoose.org, where you can contribute to very targeted educational projects. Write down your goal and put it where you’ll see it, like a sticky note on your mirror. Share your action step with another person and ask them to hold you accountable. Set a time limit for yourself to actually complete the task.
3. What can I do to continue my impact?
After you’ve done your one practical step, take a moment to pat yourself on the back. Well done! You made a difference. You took a step. Now ask yourself what second step you can take. If your one-time volunteer experience seemed a good fit, sign up to go once a month. If it wasn’t for you, try another one. I volunteered with about five different organizations before I found one that really clicked with me. Now I volunteer there once or twice a month. The hard part is getting going. You’ve already done that. Now keep up the momentum until it becomes a habit. Before you know it, you’ll be regularly making a difference in the lives of people suffering from injustice!
Here’s a personal benefit for you. In his most famous teaching, the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice: they shall have their fill.” (Matthew 5:6). I believe he was saying that when you allow yourself to see the pain caused by injustice and take a stand against it, you will find a deep sense of satisfaction with your life. Who doesn’t want that?
As you enter into the battle against injustice, it’s easy to feel defeated at times and wonder if what you’re doing really makes a difference. Martin Luther King Jr. knew that feeling but kept himself and others going with this insight: “The moral arc of the universe is long but it bends towards justice.” Keep fighting. In the end, justice wins.
A final story that I heard many years ago that still motivates me:
A boy was walking on the beach and saw that the tide had stranded thousands of starfish on the sand. The sun was coming up and the starfish were going to dry out and die. He began to pick them up, one by one, and throw them back into the ocean. A man came along and said, “What difference can you make? There are thousands of them and you’re just one boy. Who cares?” The boy bent to pick up one more. As he tossed the starfish back in the water, he said, “This one cares.”
For every small step you take to stand against injustice, there will be someone impacted by it who cares. Take that first small step today. If you do, it will be another step toward Becoming Yourself.
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This post was inspired by this reflection from Franciscan priest Richard Rohr. You can get his daily emails here.
Other related Becoming Yourself posts:
I was listening to Brynn Elliott sing Might Not Like Me on the radio when I realized something – this catchy pop song highlights a combination of two apparently conflicting characteristics needed for personal growth. At first glance, they may appear to create an oxymoron – a phrase that seems inherently contradictory, like jumbo shrimp, deeply superficial, or definitely maybe. But a closer look shows that definition really doesn’t apply. So what false oxymoron does this song reveal that I believe is key to Becoming Yourself? Humble confidence. Take a look at the first verse and chorus:
Brynn is both humble enough to admit her mistakes AND confident enough to own her strengths. In the verse, she’s humbly apologetic for anything she did to contribute to the breakdown of the relationship. When she does confidently acknowledge a superior ability, like running, she humbly points out that it’s not important. In the chorus, she goes pretty much all confidence, which I think is great. It sounds like the guy deserves it for being petty and insecure.
Listening to this song got me thinking about how a combination of humility AND confidence is needed for personal growth. Without humility, we become arrogant and unaware of our weak spots. Without confidence, we lack the necessary belief in our own value and ability to achieve our self-improvement goals. But with the right balance, we can have both the humility we need to acknowledge and work on our growth edges while also having the confidence to enjoy and build on our strengths.
Kate Spade. Anthony Bourdain. For those even marginally acquainted with fashion or food culture, these are familiar names. They had a lot in common. Kate was a celebrity fashion designer. Anthony was a celebrity chef, author and TV personality. Both were incredibly successful in their careers. Both were widely admired. Both were rich. Both were famous. Both recently took their own lives.
So many of us dream of having wealth, fame, admiration, influence, and success in our careers. We often think that achieving these goals would be the epitome of a life worth living. Kate and Anthony had all of those things. Apparently it wasn’t enough.
I don’t pretend to understand the private circumstances or mental illnesses that drove them to such a decision. I cast no judgment. We never really know what it’s like to live another’s life, so we should always err on the side of compassion. But I think there’s one safe conclusion that we can draw from these sad events. Actor and comedian Jim Carrey said it well: “I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it’s not the answer.”
1. LOVING RELATIONSHIPS – You’ve probably heard the cliche: no-one on their deathbed regrets not working more but many regret broken relationships or not spending more time with loved ones. I think this is a cliche for a reason – it’s true. For me, loving relationships with God, others, and myself are the heart of what makes life worth living (for more on relationships, 
3. HOPE – Without hope that I can change, that life can get better, that a preferred future is attainable, I lose motivation. My incentive to grow fades. The passion to pursue my dreams cools. The encouragement I need to keep trying is missing. I’ve heard it said that everyone needs someone to love, something to do, and something to look forward to. I think that pretty much sums up these first three keys for me (for more on hope and where I find it, 
4. TRUE IDENTITY – Who am I? It’s one of the most fundamental questions we can ask ourselves. We can base our identity on any number of things – a job, an ability, another person, a bank account. What we use to define who we are has an enormous impact on our sense of worth. For me, there’s only one thing secure enough, one place to find my real self, one truth that grounds my identity and helps makes life worth living (for my answer and more on identity, 
5. SECURITY – Am I going to be okay? That’s another big question that we asked as children and, if we’re honest, have never really stopped asking. There’s a story that helps me answer this one. Whatever your thoughts about Jesus, I’m guessing most of us would agree that he had pretty good insights on life. The Bible records him telling a parable about two builders (see 
So how about you? What makes your life worth living? What would make your top five list? Answer with raw honesty. Structure your life around those answers. Choose your foundation well. If you do, you’ll take another giant step toward Becoming Yourself.