What does it mean to commit to peace?
The promise of equity
Ekama Eni
Psalm 96:10-11
Say among the nations “The Lord is sovereign! The world is firmly established; it shall never be moved.
God will judge the peoples with equity.” Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice.
Reflection: Merriam-Webster defines equity as a) “justice according to natural law or right; b) “the money value of a property or of an interest in a property in excess of claims or liens against it;” or c) “a system of law originating in the English chancery and comprising a settled and formal body of legal and procedural rules and doctrines that supplement, aid, or override common and statute law and are designed to protect rights and enforce duties fixed by substantive law.”
When I think of what God’s reign on earth might look like, I think of the word equity. The psalmist speaks of a God who will come to judge the people in order to bring about equity. Equality alone is not enough. The Hebrew meshar—translated as equity in the NRSV translation above—can also be rendered as evenness and uprightness.
Even today, when God’s reign has not yet come in all its fullness, we can practice this holy equity. When we engage in actions and advocate for policies that ensure safe and secure homes for all of our siblings, when we seek to restore the voting rights of those who have been disenfranchised by incarceration, when we leave water in the desert for those on treacherous journeys to new life, we participate in an equity that comes from God.
The promise that God’s judgment brings about a correction in the universe gives me hope that tomorrow will be better than today. Let the heavens and earth and rejoice, indeed!
Action: Today, make sure you are registered to vote! Mark the days in your calendar for every single election for which you are eligible to vote — primaries and local elections included. If you are not eligible to vote, make sure the people you care about are registered.
Prayer: Heavenly Creator, be with us as we look to further equity in your world. We pray that you will continue to reveal yourself to us as we work toward the day when the entire earth will rejoice with you and we will hear the heavens resounding with praise. Amen.
Ekama Eni is a student at Union Theological Seminary in New York and is under care of Grace Presbytery. She served as a Young Adult Volunteer (YAV) in Scotland, working in a Church of Scotland Priority Area congregation. There, her call to ministry — and an affinity for being outdoors — were stirred. She is an immigrant, a proud Texan, and a lover of food and naps.
This year’s A Season of Peace Resources are designed to help Presbyterians explore different forms and lenses for peacemaking. From the personal level to global issues, these reflections and prayers will help grow the faith and witness of the whole church. Through the 29 days of this year’s Season of Peace, we are invited to reflect upon:
- What does it mean to commit to Peace?
- Making peace by addressing root causes of poverty
- Making peace by disrupting systematic racism
- Making peace by ending violence
- Making peace by supporting refugees and migrants
- Partaking in peace in worship and at table this World Communion Sunday and through the Peace & Global Witness Offering
Each author represents a variety of vocations and experiences in peacemaking efforts. Individuals and households are invited to make use of these daily reflections beginning on Sunday, September 1, and concluding on World Communion Sunday, October 6.