It was a lawyer who asked Jesus what must we do to inherit eternal life.
“It all starts by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. But Jesus goes on to flesh out that true faith is going to be demonstrated by what you do and how you how you live.”
Bruce Strom of the Gospel Justice Initiative looks at the role lawyers can play in maintaining justice and standing up for those less fortunate.
“Unfortunately, honestly, lawyers get that kind of bad rap today. However, we can be the person who stops and provides those legal services, while caring for the person, showing compassion and mercy, demonstrating grace, the grace that’s been shown to us.”
Bruce draws a connection between the perception of Samaritans and the lawyers of today. In Jesus day, the Samaritans were undesirable people with a bad reputation, no one wanted to be associated with them. However, in the parable of the Good Samaritan, the only person who stopped to help the man who was beaten, lying on the side of the road was a Samaritan.
People don’t expect lawyers to be people who would sit down and pray with them, and Bruce wants that perception to change.
“So it is the power of the Samaritan, entering into those dark places to see people restored.”
The Gospel Justice Initiative connects lawyers looking to fight for justice with those who are in need of justice. Lawyers have the power to not only dispense legal justice in the name of Jesus Christ, but also spiritual support.
Bruce tells the story of an elderly woman named Mary who was the victim of a debt scam. Frightened and confused, with a Sheriff standing at her door with a court summons, she had nowhere to turn for help.
“For Mary, she was losing sleep, this could have killed her, but having somebody to step into that gap with her, pray with and encourage her, just calming her fears and freeing her from that unjust debt.”
