Day 363

>Zechariah 14:1-21; Revelation 20:1-15; Psalm 148:1-14; Proverbs 31:8-9

Open Your Mouth, Judge Righteously, Defend the Poor and Needy!

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, described in an exhaustive biography by Eric Metaxas as a pastor, martyr, prophet, and spy, was a leading figure in the Confessing Church, the center of German Protestant resistance in Nazi Germany. Early on, Bonhoeffer recognized Adolf Hitler’s anti-Semitic agenda and called the Confessing Church to condemn Nazi Germany’s laws and policies against Jews.

As the anti-Semitic tone rose to a fever pitch in Nazi Germany, Bonhoeffer declared, “it is high time we broke with our theologically based restraint towards the state’s actions – which, after all, is only fear. ‘Speak out for those who cannot speak.’ Who in the church today realizes that this is the very least that the Bible requires of us?” The exhortation in Proverbs to “Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy” (Proverbs 31:8-9 ESV) was more than a pithy saying for Bonhoeffer. Jews in Nazi Germany were quickly marginalized by Hitler’s regime and Bonhoeffer called upon the Confessing Church to take up their cause. Bonhoeffer’s words and actions for those who could not speak or act were the hallmarks of his resistance and ultimately led to his imprisonment and execution.

Who are the mute, the destitute, the poor and needy in your arena of life? It may be a co-worker who is too shy to speak out against an unprofessional supervisor. It may be a classmate who is the brunt of jokes, teasing, or bullying. It may be a homeless person you see every Sunday who needs help navigating the social service system. It may be the unborn or the elderly who are often most vulnerable and voiceless.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer emerged on the world stage as a clear and certain voice for the voiceless in Nazi Germany. While our roles may not be on the world stage, our ministries and vocations are played out amid the voiceless, and they need us to speak out for those who cannot speak.

The Rev. Anthony P. Clark
Cathedral Church of St. Luke
Orlando, FL