Be Just!

BIBLICAL FOUNDATION

“Correct me, Lord, but only with justice — not in your anger, lest you reduce me to nothing.”  Jeremiah 10:24

WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES ABOUT BEING JUST

This Jeremiah verse asks the Lord to correct or perhaps discipline in a “just” way. The Bible teaches us that to “be just” is living in alignment with God’s moral standards like fairness, righteousness, and integrity. This verse implies that if leaders’ correction of others is driven by anger, the correction could harm others rather than build them up.  

There are practical benefits for a leader being just when correcting others.  Being just when correcting others…       

Builds Trust: Just correction fosters trust between leaders and those they lead. 

Inspires Respect: When leaders are just in correction, they earn the respect of those they lead.  

Improves Morale: Just correction seeds a positive work environment wherein individuals feel valued and supported.

Encourages Personal Growth: Just correction focuses on constructive feedback, helping individuals learn from mistakes without feeling unfairly targeted or demoralized.

Here are a few guidelines to help leaders be just when correcting others:

1.  Listen Actively: Before correcting others, leaders should carefully listen to all sides of a situation to completely understand problems and various perspectives involved.
2. Gather Facts: Base just correction on objective evidence rather than assumptions or emotions. 
3. Be Transparent: Clearly communicate the reasoning behind correction made.
4. Avoid Bias: Leaders must be aware of and avoid any personal biases that may unjustly influence correction issued. 
5. Consistently Apply Correction: Ensure that correction is applied consistently to all individuals in similar situations.
6. Be Empathetic: Show empathy in judging a person’s circumstances while balancing justice with mercy. 

CONCLUSION

In essence, the biblical definition of being just means living a life that reflects God’s righteousness – showing fairness, compassion, integrity, and mercy toward others. Being just goes beyond mere legal fairness and includes caring for the vulnerable and acting in love.