Service can dehumanize those being served and expects immediate results, while justice restores human dignity by creating an environment where all people give and receive with the goal of removing obstacles so that people can help themselves. Justice is a lifestyle that recognizes long-term systemic change, working with other ministries for greater impact and addressing the root causes of problems like hunger and homelessness.

1. “Service” vs.
“Justice”

2. “Service” makes us feel like a great savior
who rescues the broken.

3. “Justice” means God does the rescuing, but
often he works through the united power of
his great and diverse community to do it.

4. Service often dehumanizes
(even if only subtly) those who are labeled
the “receivers.”

5. Justice restores human dignity by creating
an environment in which all involved “give”
and “receive” in a spirit of reciprocal
learning and mutual ministry.

6. Service is something we do FOR others.

7. Justice is something we do WITH others.

8. Service is an event.

9. Justice is a lifestyle.

10. Service expects results immediately.

11. Justice hopes for results sometime soon but
recognizes that systemic change takes time.

12. The goal of service is to help others.

13. The goal of justice is to remove obstacles
so others can help themselves.

14. Service focuses on what our own ministry
can accomplish.

15. Justice focuses on how we can work with
other ministries to accomplish even more.

16. Service is serving food at the local
homeless shelter.

17. Justice means asking why people are
hungry and homeless in the first place and
then doing something about it.

18. Text from Social Justice Handbook: Small Steps
for a Better World by Mae Elise Cannon,
Copyright 2009 by Mae Elise Cannon
used by written permission,
for Non-Commercial Use only,
granted by InterVarsity Press
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