Justice in the Burbs

I just recently put down Will & Lisa Samson's "Justice in the Burbs". They remind me that

 

The suburbs in many ways are…

 

"...an illusion of the American dream - where no one is needy, where there is a chicken in every pot, and a car in every garage…

 

"… where planned developments control who comes near, and are designed to avoid interruption by anything unpleasant or uncomfortable…"

 

"… designed to keep people busy and buying more stuff".

 

Justice in the Burbs weaves together fictional narrative, personal stories, and reflections from guest authors, to remind us all of the calling in the Scriptures to live justly towards those who are poor, marginalized, and oppressed.  I'm so glad they wrote this book, and I'll be recommending it to many. 

 

I only wish they took it a step further in sharing more of what justice would look like in our own suburban neighborhoods and workplaces, rather than simply partnering with those in 'urban' settings. But maybe that's for another book.  I'm just convinced that plenty of injustice occurs right under our own suburban noses.

 

What really struck a chord with me was how realistically and gently the Samson’s call suburbanites to be a force for social justice in the world. They do so by sharing their struggles and handling objections with grace and recognizing that the journey towards justice is exactly that, a journey.

Lon Wong
http://solarcrash.com