Confess Your Mixed Motives

In U2’s song “One,” Bono sings, “Have you come here to play Jesus / To the lepers in your head?”2 Yes, if you are involved in justice work, you probably have. So have I. This isn’t bad. Just honest. We can find freedom confessing that our own need for healing is part of why we work for the healing of justice.

We come to the work of justice not as purely altruistic people, but, as Luther said, we are simul justus et peccator, simultaneously saints and sinners. I’ve always found it important to be upfront about this with myself and with others.

We want to help lepers, but we also…