Old Testament
Jeremiah 22:3
3 The LORD says: “Execute justice and righteousness, and deliver him who is robbed out of the hand of the oppressor. Do no wrong. Do no violence to the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow. Don’t shed innocent blood in this place.
New Testament
James 3:17-18
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
Jeremiah compresses public righteousness into a few verbs: do justice and righteousness; rescue the robbed; do not wrong the sojourner, the fatherless, the widow; do not shed innocent blood. It is as practical as it is holy. God is not impressed by pious slogans if the vulnerable are being crushed.
Advocacy can be exhausting, and compassion can become thin. Yet Scripture insists that justice and mercy belong together. The stranger is not a problem to manage; they are a neighbour to protect.
James describes the wisdom “from above” in a way that feels like a litmus test for public life: first pure, then peaceable, epieikēs and open to reason, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. This is not weakness. It is strength that refuses to become cruel.
Lord, give us wisdom that is gentle and brave. Strengthen those who work in safeguarding, legal aid, social care, and advocacy. Give public servants the courage to intervene when harm is done, and the patience to follow through. Keep our hearts soft without making them fragile. And teach your Church to stand with those at risk, not as patrons, but as family in Christ: sharing burden, speaking truth, and seeking a society that reflects your character.