Learn to do good
Isaiah 1:17 (ESV)
Learn to do good; seek justice, rebuke the oppressor, defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.
This Bible verse sounds like a motto for a superhero team, with talks of seeking justice and defending the fatherless. However, you don’t have to possess super powers or special abilities to follow this motto. God calls all of us to do what’s right and help those who cannot help themselves.
In this specific passage, God is looking on His people, the Israelites, and sees that they have turned away from Him. Even though this command was given more than 2,000 years ago, it can still apply to us now. God asks us to change and repent of our sins. We have to wash out and purify ourselves in front of the Lord who’s presence is always near to us.
Our imperfect and sinful minds can cause us to wander and do something we’re not supposed to. In order to avoid that, we have to seek God and listen to Him. We have to learn how to defend others who are unable to defend themselves. This can mean taking care of the homeless by giving them food, clothes, shelter and water. It can also means telling others about Christ who may not have heard the good news before.
In this verse, Isaiah is calling on the rulers of the land to courageously exercise their God-given authority to restrain the wrongdoing of the men and women within their jurisdiction. As Christians, we have influence over our community as well. We don’t have to be a king or a judge to do what is right. We have been blessed with the gift of God and it is our duty to share it with others. God will always be there to help us lead the way. We must show that kind of loving guidance to those around us.
This week, pray about how you can make a difference in your own community. Seek out those who need help and the God who provides will give you the strength to help them.