Word of God, speak

I'm reviewing the talk on Biblical justice I wrote last year because I'm giving it again next week. But as I'm reading it, I'm wondering how on earth we thought this was possible. Summarize a huge topic woven throughout all of scripture, fundamental to all of life...into twenty minutes.

I wish I had my brainstorm poster up again, I wish I had all the documents I read and researched up to get my brain on the topic. I know some of the thoughts I've inserted into my talk are not my own, but I can't exactly remember where I read or heard them either. I feel like I'm not giving it my all because I'm not steeped in thinking about this talk like I was last year.

At the same time, it's a lie to say the topic has not been present and affecting my choices, explicitly or not. And I can see even clearer now gaps that these twenty minutes can't hit. Our responsibility in personal lifestyle, the tug I am feeling to eventually buy only fair trade (or thrift?) clothing. The way justice is woven with a lifestyle of simplicity, because if we are to seek shalom in all areas of our lives, then they come together. How shalom encompasses our human relationships and speaking up for the marginalized...or even simpler, the people on campus who are not present (correlation to not feeling welcome and belonging?) in this group. Or systemic issues, like the environment, legal issues, or oppression. All these pieces. All these pieces, and I can't fit them all in.

My heart weighs heavy with my own lack of knowledge and application, and a hint of guilt from knowing my life is far from righteous. But I remind myself of God's grace and the power of his spirit: first, that He only is just and righteous and we will always, always fall short. Thus we are forever in need of his grace to cover us. Second, He moves and speaks and stirs to his timing. May these words spoken convict where needed. It is not my responsibility to lay out the upcoming twenty steps for a student to take...the Lord will lead them to the next one.