Worship and Justice
It shouldn’t surprise us that Solomon talks about the way we approach God – worship – in one breath – and then turns his attention to terrible injustices. And that’s because worship doesn’t end when the piano or guitar falls silent. To sing and pray and fight against the oppression of others is part of living a lifestyle that is a seamless act of worship to the Lord. And this is not just an option for those who feel inclined to be ‘fired up’ about social issues – so called worship that is ethereal and heaven centred but ignores the plight of millions who suffer doesn’t please God at all. Notice too that Solomon is not attacking wealth (hard for him to do, admittedly, considering all his resources), but rather condemns the love of money, which, as the Bible says famously, is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10). Thank God for the social conscience that has become part of our buying these days, as we look for fairly traded, ethical goods that are not produced cheaply because of what is little more than slavery. When it comes to making just choices, those who say they believe the Bible to be God’s word should be leading the way.