Proverbs 31:8-9

NASB	NLT	VOICE
8 Open your mouth for the people who cannot speak, For the rights of all the unfortunate.	8 Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed.	8 Speak out on behalf of those who have no voice and defend all those who have been passed over.
9 Open your mouth, judge righteously, And defend the rights of the poor and needy.	9 Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.	9 Open your mouth, judge fairly, and stand up for the rights of the afflicted and the poor.

The Precedent for Advocacy

In biblical times, leaders and those in authority were expected to advocate for justice and righteousness. They are to take a stand and use their voice to influence and bring change to those who are marginalized. In ancient Israel, the marginalized such widows, orphans, and foreigners – demographics that often lacked representation and protection. To speak up on their behalf reflects God’s heart for justice and care for the vulnerable. The concept of being unfortunate/crushed/passed over refers to those people that have been deprived of their rights, property, or status. In the historical context of the Old Testament, this could include those that lost their land due to debt or injustice. The call to speak up for them is a call to restore justice and equity. 

Legal and Relational Reconciliation

Biblical justice goes beyond legal reconciliation. It’s about restoring relationships and ensuring that everyone has access to what they need to live a dignified life. This involves getting our voices involved in the legal systems because we are currently witnessing a lot of people that are impoverished, disabled, and more losing access to their affordable health insurance coverage that is offered by our federal government. There’s an internal debate in the US government about whether or not to stabilize the healthcare system to what it was or cut it down massively and put hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people at risk. We can simply make our voices known by contacting our states local senators and house of representatives and express your concern and desire to ensure that all of your community keeps their health insurance coverage. Remember, this also involves restoring relationships. We must also check in on those who are concerned about losing their coverage. We need to listen to their concerns, allowing them to express the emotional frustration, fear, and sadness. We need to hear what ways we may be able to help. It could be helping them travel longer distances to appointments that they are eligible for. It could be helping them pay or raise funds for medications or procedures they need that are no longer affordable for them. Now, more than ever before, we need to truly be the hands and feet of Christ in our world today. This is a great way to start. 

More Than Words

Remember, to speak up/open your mouth means to actively speak out and engage with the issues going on around you with wanting justice and truth. WIth how things are progressing, judge righteously. Ensure that the resolutions that hopefully arise come from a place of fairness, not incorporating any bits of partiality or corruption. The fairness that we are called to judge things on is a reflection of God’s character. In ancient Israel, the poor and needy were often vulnerable to exploitation and injustice. We are responsible to advocate for those who cannot defend themselves. 

Understanding the Current Issues

It’s important to speak up and use our voices for advocacy and justice, even when it’s unpopular or challenging. Hear both sides to this in regards to the active healthcare situation: 

SUPPORTERS OF BUDGET CUTS:

• Argue for restraint in federal health spending to reduce debt.
• Advocate for efficiency, market-based reforms, and targeted tax adjustments
• Seek to control cost escalations in Medicaid, Medicare, drugs, and labor
• Maintain that cuts and reorganization can spur innovation

CRITICS OF THE BUDGET REDUCTIONS: 

• Highlight risks to public health infrastructure, emergency readiness, and preventative care.
• Warn about the loss of insurance and increased uncompensated care at hospitals
• Stress harm to vulnerable groups and local health services
• Argue cuts will worsen workforce shortages and limit access to necessary treatments.

Now, the links to the articles where I got the information for will be listed at the end of the blog for you to review on your own time. What we’re seeing is the conversation between financial discipline and ensuring widespread access and quality. What does our world need right now? What would Jesus push us to advocate? In my belief, we need to ensure that all people regardless of ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, and wealth status have access to the proper care that allows them to obtain a sufficient quality of life. When it comes to finances, there will always be a way to balance everything out and make it more affordable over time, but when it comes to the safety and security of those around us – we need to do something immediately, which includes ensuring that everyone has coverage necessary to give them a quality of life. How will you speak up? 

My New Call to Action

Now, instead of my normal “Reflection Questions” and “Call to Action” closes for this series. I want to highlight Christian organizations that are in the fight right now. My only call to action is that you go learn more about what this company can do, how you can support them, and how you can use their resources to make an impact in your community and through the world. 

The organization I want to highlight this week is: Christian Connections for International Health (CCIH). CCIH mobilizes Christian advocacy for global health, including U.S. programs that provide health security and care to low income and vulnerable populations both here in the U.S. and internationally. They support legislative efforts and partnerships, asserting that Christian faith communities play a key role in delivering and protecting health for underserved communities. You can learn more about their efforts and how you can be a part of this program by going to: https://www.ccih.org/advocacy/

Sources Used:

• https://medicaiddirectors.org/resource/top-five-medicaid-budget-pressures-for-fiscal-year-2025/
• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5394555/
• https://www.kff.org/health-costs/americans-challenges-with-health-care-costs/
• https://www.aamc.org/news/hospitals-make-painful-choices-federal-cutbacks-add-economic-headwinds
• https://www.ama-assn.org/about/ama-research/trends-health-care-spending
• https://medicareadvocacy.org/impact-of-the-big-bill-on-medicare/
• https://www.kff.org/health-costs/health-policy-101-health-care-costs-and-affordability/
• https://www.kff.org/medicaid/health-provisions-in-the-2025-federal-budget-reconciliation-law/
• https://www.cbo.gov/topics/health-care

Check out the next part: Serving Up Justice #2