The book of proverbs begins by claiming that this is what it has been written for: it is instruction for being wise, and righteousness, justice and equity are the main points of the text. These three characteristics are almost interchangeable sometimes, as one cannot exist in a person without the others. As the book teaches, someone whose concern is to do what is right knows the rights of the poor; but a wicked man does not understand such knowledge. What is justice, then, but having a concern to do what is right, and going after the rights of the disadvantaged and disenfranchised? Clearly the business is ours, if we are righteous. Since we have Christ's righteousness (what does being a Christian mean, if not that!) the question becomes, how can we be a people in pursuit of justice?

Another way of looking at justice is this: To put ourselves out in order to benefit the wider community is to be righteous. The wicked person's view is this - "No: I earned it, I am keeping it." Doing justice as a body of God's people means discovering and recognising that we are not here (to use Tim Keller's useful phraseology) to "hold services and to increase our tribe". It is not our intention to use the town to create a great church, but to use the church to build a great town. A church should be a counterculture for the common good.

Another proverb teaches this:
He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD,
and He will reward him for what he has done.

Hangups, sentiment and pangs of conscience do not lead to righteousness, and hand-wringing is not the path to Justice. If reward is the result of Justice, it is motivated by loving gratitude to God. Any other motivation is unworthy. We should do justice because it is simply a good thing to do. It is right to want what is right for poor people, because God deeply identifies with the poor. Matthew 25 goes so far as to say this: God will say "I was hungry, thirsty, naked, and in prison." Jesus teaches that someone can tell that they have a relationship with God if they are doing justice. More than that, Jesus basically teaches that He understands a living relationship with Him to involve treating the poor well. If we know that we are sinners saved by grace we will identify with the poor. We are at least poor in spirit. Christianity recognises that the only people who are saved are those who know that they are spiritually bankrupt, and that God has made an amazing investment in them to buy them back.