Devotion 17 — Sh’ma and Repair |
Listening and the Work of Justice
Scripture“Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord is one.”— Deuteronomy 6:4
“Learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed.”— Isaiah 1:17
The Sh’ma begins with a command: Hear.This command is not only about devotion to God—it is about how we live with one another. To hear rightly is to be open to truth, even when that truth is uncomfortable or disruptive.
In the biblical tradition, listening is closely tied to justice.
The prophet Isaiah calls the people to action: “Learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed.” But this kind of action does not begin in isolation. It begins with attention. It begins with listening—to God, and to the lived experiences of those who have been harmed.
Listening does more than reveal injustice—it opens the door to repair.
When communities truly hear the experiences of those who have been marginalized, ignored, or harmed, something begins to shift. What was once distant becomes personal. What was once abstract becomes undeniable. Listening brings hidden realities into view.
Without listening, harm is often minimized or denied. Stories are dismissed. Pain is explained away. Those who suffer may be told, implicitly or explicitly, that their experiences do not matter. In such conditions, injustice is not only sustained—it is protected.
But when people are willing to listen—honestly and without defensiveness—the possibility of something different emerges.
Truth begins to surface.
And truth changes what is possible.
In Scripture, justice is not only about judgment or punishment. It is also about restoration. It is about setting things right—repairing what has been broken, restoring dignity where it has been denied, and rebuilding relationships where trust has been lost.
This is the work of repair.
Repair begins with acknowledgment.It requires naming harm truthfully, without minimizing or distorting it.It calls for listening to those who have experienced injustice—not as an exercise in information gathering, but as an act of recognition and respect.
Repair also involves restoration.Where something has been taken—opportunity, security, voice, or dignity—justice seeks to restore. This may take many forms, but it always reflects a commitment to making things more whole than they were before.
And repair requires change.Listening that leads to justice cannot remain at the level of awareness. It must shape how individuals, communities, and systems act moving forward.
This is why the prophets continually called the people to listen—not only to God, but to the cries of their neighbors. Again and again, they confronted communities that maintained religious practices while ignoring injustice. Their message was clear: hearing God cannot be separated from hearing those who suffer.
Yet listening of this kind is difficult.
It challenges established narratives.It disrupts comfort.It exposes responsibility.
Communities often resist listening because truth demands change. To truly hear is to risk being called to respond in ways that are costly, inconvenient, or uncomfortable.
But without this kind of listening, there can be no meaningful repair.
Listening allows truth to surface.Truth creates the possibility of acknowledgment.Acknowledgment opens the path to repair.And repair is where justice begins to take shape.
The Sh’ma reminds us that hearing is not optional. It is a discipline that shapes how we relate to God and to one another. It calls us to listen not selectively, but faithfully—to hear what is true, even when it is difficult.
Justice does not begin with action alone.It begins with attention.
And it is fulfilled when what is heard leads to restoration, renewal, and a more just community.
Reflection QuestionsWhy is listening essential to repairing injustice?What makes it difficult for individuals or communities to hear painful truths?Where might harm be minimized or ignored in your own context?How can listening move beyond awareness toward meaningful repair?
PrayerGod of justice,help us listen with honesty and compassion.Give us the courage to hear painful truthsand the humility to acknowledge what we have ignored.Guide us in the work of repair,that our actions may restore dignity, renew relationships,and reflect your justice in the world.Amen.