“Social Justice Warrior” is a term often used pejoratively to describe a person fighting for progressive issues such as anti-racist policies and equal gender rights. People using this term as a slur claim that social justice warriors “are actually validating their own ego, looking for special treatment, or attention” ( https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Social%20Justice%20Warrior).

Had the term existed then, Gandhi would have been called a social justice warrior. Martin Luther King, Jr. would have been called a social justice warrior. Mother Teresa would have been called a social justice warrior. Susan B. Anthony would have been called a social justice warrior. Cesar Chavez would have been called a social justice warrior. (They were all called worse names, by the way.) The irony is that the attention these individuals attracted came because they fought on behalf of the underprivileged people in society.

Setting all that aside for a moment, what does the Word of God have to say about SJWs? (All verses are from the New International Version.)

“The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.” – Proverbs 29:7

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” – Proverbs 31:8-9

“He told them, ‘Consider carefully what you do, because you are not judging for mere mortals but for the Lord, who is with you whenever you give a verdict. Now let the fear of the Lord be on you. Judge carefully, for with the Lord our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery.” – 2 Chronicles 19:6-7

“Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent – the Lord detests them both.” – Proverbs 17:15

“But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted; you consider their grief and take it in hand. The victims commit themselves to you; you are the helper of the fatherless.” – Psalm 10:14

“He [the Lord] defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt.” – Deuteronomy 10:18-19

“This is what the Lord says: Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place.” – Jeremiah 22:3

“Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.” – Proverbs 14:31

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” – Micah 6:8

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” – James 1:27

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others.” – Philippians 2:3-4

“Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.” – Isaiah 1:17

Finally in the words of Jesus, speaking of the time of His return: “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” – Matthew 25:37-40

So if anyone ever labels you a Social Justice Warrior as you follow Christ, break out some of these verses and ask them, “You mean like this?” Then thank them for the compliment.

My prayer is that the Holy Spirit would lead us to be more and more like Christ Jesus, the ultimate Social Justice Warrior. God bless.

• Lincoln Alabaster