At a David Crowder Band concert, I heard the band’s front man and namesake say these words:

 “Compassion is standing on the banks of a river, watching dozens of people drowning, and then jumping in to save as many as you can, one-by-one.  That’s compassion: saving someone from drowning.  But justice is altogether different; justice is saying, ‘Let’s go upstream and see who is throwing all of these people in the river,’ and then doing something about it.”

 I agree wholeheartedly.  If you have been a follower of Jesus for any length of time, you have probably come to see that we are experts of compassion – getting people out of the river who are drowning.  We have seminars, courses, hundreds of books, and gospel tracts, all teaching us how to get them out of the river.

 But when it comes to justice, we are not so enthusiastic about going upstream to see who is throwing everyone in the river.  We are content to stand on the banks where we are and to keep on doing what we’ve been doing forever.  This technique has worked and was acceptable in the past, but it will not work in the 21^st Century.  Our lack of involvement in the public square – our apathy towards social issues – has given the Christian community a black eye in recent days.  Since we have taken a backseat to the issues that matter in our culture, we have driven people further away from God in the process.

 This cannot continue.

 I think this is why Jesus said that we (His followers) are to be the Salt and the Light of the world (Matthew 5:13-16).  We have mastered being the Light and showing people the way – the way out of the river – but somewhere in our history we stopped being the Salt, and confronting the culture when it’s wrong.  Where there is injustice, we must bring justice.  Where there are hungry, we must feed.  Where there are thirsty, we must provide drink.  Where there are cold and naked, we must give shelter and clothing.  We must.  Wherever there is a person who has been trampled by this calloused, “Me-first” society, Christian men and women should be the first to step in and show the love of Jesus in a real and tangible way. 

 Why?  Why do we do this?  Because, in a way, we are doing it for Jesus Himself; this is precisely what He has taught: “Whenever you extend a hand of justice to a person in need, you have done it to me” (Matthew 25:40).  It is not enough to be the Light of the world – exposing the wrongs in this culture – but we must be the Salt of this world, setting to right the wrongs.  It’s not enough anymore to just save people from drowning; we need to go upstream and stop whoever and whatever is throwing them all in.

 That is why I enjoy David Crowder’s music so much, because it’s not just words that sound nice; it’s the overflow of his heart.  At that concert, they were collecting new socks and bath towels to give to a local shelter.  Socks and towels.  It doesn’t get any more basic than that, but that is what God is in.  Someone has said, “If you want to be blessed by God, find out what God is blessing…then get involved.”  This is what God is blessing; He’s blessing those who are putting the Gospel in motion and being both Light AND Salt in this present age.  He’s blessing those who are going upstream. God is a compassionate and just God.  He wants us to follow suit.

In this age of impatience, we have sincerely underestimated the value of waiting on the Lord.  Here are just 9 verses that explain how valuable that is:

Psalm 25:3 Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed; Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause.

Psalm 25:21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for You.

Psalm 31:24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord.

Psalm 37:7a Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him.

Psalm 40:1 I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined to me, and he heard my cry.

Psalm 62:1 Truly my soul silently waits for God; From Him comes my salvation.

Isaiah 40:31 But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

Lamentations 3:25 The Lord is good to those who wait for Him.