God’s vision for social order

“Thus says the LORD of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.”

Zechariah 7:9-10

The love of God for all people, especially the most vulnerable, is displayed for us in this series of commands to the Jews returning from the exile. God wanted them to be different. God wanted them to obey His desires. God wanted a social structure in Israel to show His kindness and mercy to a watching world. God’s expectations are clear in these two verses. They provide insight into what God expects in any human society.

God expects people to act with true judgment… for justice to be done in such a way that there is no favoritism. We do not show favor to the rich and powerful so that they can get away with poor behavior or mistreatment of others. Put simply: Nobody gets to be a jerk.

This only happens when people of character are valued as leaders. It isn’t about the platforms they claim or the speeches they make to grab power. It has to do with true character. And leaders should be people of justice. They should be known for their kindness, not their brashness. They should embody kindness, respect kindness and mercy, and in their actions both give and receive kindness and mercy. They should look out for the needs of the vulnerable: the elderly, the widowed, the orphaned, the immigrants, the sick, and the poor. And the actions, words, solutions, and activities they promote are not to be hateful, isolating, self-centered, unjust, or evil. The implication is that lack of proper concern for the vulnerable is itself an evil we should never accept. Calloused leaders are disqualified.

And that is what God expected of Israel. In it we see His heart for how we love our neighbors well. Christians should want the heart of God to drive how we see our world. The church is the best place for this kind of character to thrive. The gospel liberates us from evil so that we can care in this way. Will we? We should guard against a society that does not create this kind of social structure.