When the media and individuals talk about social justice, they’re always talking about physical needs of the oppressed, the downtrodden and the powerless. It is almost always physical needs that we provide.
All human life needs the physical needs of food, water, and shelter. So much so, that these are all literal, physical needs that humans need to survive, that they are all a part of the UN’s Declaration of Human Rights.
When we think of social justice, we think of these physical needs, and understandably so because obviously they are things that are easy and physically possible to provide.
But one thing we often forget with social justice is the social and emotional needs that are critical for the survival and wellbeing of every single individual. We often forget this because this takes time.
Time spent with the oppressed. Time spent with the disadvantaged. Time spent with the powerless and time spent with those going through a hard time.
It takes time to listen to someone’s worries, it takes time to become close friends with someone, it takes time to truly care for someone and it takes time to provide for the emotional needs of people.
Sometimes time is all people need. Food is good, water is life-saving and shelter ensures us a safe place to call home. But time shows that we care and value someone, that we are concerned about them, that we legitimately are concerned for someone’s wellbeing. Emotional needs do not discriminate, whether people are rich, they can still feel sad, depressed and worthless. Whether rich, whether world-famous, whether a child slave, whether a peasant family in a remote country – depression and mental health issues affect everyone.
You can have food and be unhappy, you can have water and be unhappy but true love, care and time spent with someone can change someone’s destiny, purpose and outlook on life.
So let’s not just give financially but let’s show genuine care, concern and appreciation for the disadvantaged. The next homeless person may not have their life changed by giving them loose change but they will feel loved and cared for with a conversation and getting to know them. Even with the super-rich, they may look influential and happy but a sincere conversation can reveal some of their deepest problems and hardest issues or can change their life.
Join someone for a chat, and listen to their concerns, their worries or even listening to their ambitions, dreams and successes.
Everyone is born to be cared for. Everyone is born to have someone care for them and someone to value them, that is humanity.
Jesus cared for people, He gave love to the loveless and hope to the hopeless, this wasn’t achieved just by healing them but by comforting them and speaking words of hope to them. Matthew 20:34 tells us that Jesus touched the eyes of the blind, He didn’t do this because He had to, but because He wanted to show them love. Very few had ever shown love to these people but Jesus did.
We need to show that same love and compassion too.
WRITER: Tim Pinzone, is the President of the Adventist Students club at Macquarie University (NSW)