Furaha Sports considering > What's fair and smells of roses?

I can't stand your religious meetings!

Opinions are like noses, everyone seems to have one. Most people certainly have strong opinions about what is fair and even more so about what is "NOT FAIR!!!" The issue of fair play, fairness, or justice; which ever term you prefer to use seem to evoke strong sentiment. The majority of us have had an experience where we felt unfairly treated, or saw someone else unfairly treated, in such situations we utter a cry that comes from our inmost parts, "IT'S NOT FAIR!!" or words that are similar.

For me, I remember vividly when I was about five years old, the family hot water flask got broken. This was a tragedy because every morning my dad had his tea from the flask. For reasons unknown to me, my cousins decided to collude and claim that I had broken the flask.

"Ugbana," my mum called, "do you know what happened to the flask?"
I looked at the floor and shook my head, for you were not meant to stare your parents in the eyes when speaking to them.
"Do you know who broke the flask?" mum continued.
I shook my head again.
"Vero and Peace, said you broke the flask? Is this true?"
I shook my head again.
"Ugbana, talk to me! Have you lost your tongue? Who broke this flask?"
I tried my best to explain that the broken flask had nothing to do with me, but words failed me. I was not a good speaker, in fact I am told I never spoke much untill I was about six years old.
The conclusion was that I got a taste of Dr. DoGood aka the cane. The pain of the injustice of being punished for a crime I did not commit is still fresh as I write this.

When we think of injustice we often think in terms of injustice done to us, which is fine, but we must not stop there. In the scriptures we read of Job that "I rescued the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to assist him..... I made the widow's heart sing. I put on righteousness as my clothing; justice was my robe and my turban. I took up the cause of the stranger."

Stop. Yes stop. And imagine wearing justice as a baseball cap, a doorag, a hoodie! Such that when people look at you they see justice, they think justice, they know you as a person that stands for justice. Is that what we are known for?

In our discussion on saturday we looked at some recent issues in the press about injustice. The issue of price manipulation by supermarkets while reducing the amount they pay farmers, (for milk in particular). Bidimi and Yusuf played the roles of farmer and supermarket chief most brilliantly. We touched on global trade justice and how wealthy nations prevent poorer nations' access to their markets. We also talked about the subject of child and poorly paid labour used to produce the toys, shoes and clothes we buy and wear. Is there fair play in all this? Is the supermarket justified in screwing the farmers to the ground on price? Is our need for cheap goods enough justification to jeopardise the future of adults and children in other countries? Do we care enough to make any changes in our lifestyles?

One of the people I admire is the late Anita Roddick, who started the BodyShop chain of stores because she was "against animal testing" i.e. the testing of cosmetic products on animals. Most women (and some men) know how she has revolutionised the cosmetic industry. I use Anita as an example because I believe change needs to be creative and positive. We do not have to be anti everything, we can be for something. In this case, FOR JUSTICE.

There are no easy or simple answers, the fact remains that the choices we make affect not just the people near to us but people afar off. The question is will we be like Anita or better still like Job or will we hear God say to us:

"away with the noise of your songs,
I can't stand your religious meetings. I'm fed up with your conferences and conventions.I want nothing to do with your religion projects, your pretentious slogans and goals.I've had all I can take of your noisy ego-music. When was the last time you sang to me?Do you know what I want? I want justice—oceans of it.I want fairness—rivers of it. That's what I want. That's all I want."

The choice is mine to make. The choice is yours to make. Will we be hearers of the word who quickly forget, or will we be doers who not only hear, but meditate on the word and take action based on what God has said.

Please feel free to join the online discussion but more than that prayerfully consider where and how you could make changes to your lifestyle to bring oceans of justice and rivers of fairness. The scriptures quoted are from Job 29 and Amos 5 respectively, the translation are from NIV and The Message.

If want to find out ways you can take action log on to http://www.christianaid.org.uk/