Justice for TikTok
"See, the day of the Lord is coming—a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger—to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it."
Isaiah 13:9 (NIV)
I must admit up front that this article has nothing to do with TikTok. I do post on TikTok every day, but I don’t do it, or this, or anything to increase my number of followers. My hope is that maybe just one person would be encouraged or even, accept Jesus!
This is an article about justice and wrath. God’s justice can be challenging to understand. Isaiah 13:9 vividly describes His wrath, which made me uncomfortable. But what if this verse isn’t about wrath but love—a love so pure it cannot ignore evil?
As a parent of four kids, my wrath, justice, and love are constantly at work, often influenced by the kind of day I’ve had in the world. Understanding a parental perspective on wrath and love helps me better navigate and comprehend God’s nature. Let’s take a moment to explore some observations together.
Wrath Rooted in Love
As a Parent: Your wrath often emerges not from hate but from love—when you see your children doing something harmful or dangerous, your strong reaction is a protective response.
God's Wrath: Similarly, God's wrath is not arbitrary or cruel. It is a manifestation of His love and holiness, a reaction to sin that harms His creation. For example, His discipline comes from a desire to guide us back to what is good (Hebrews 12:6).
"For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives." (Hebrews 12:6)
Justice Balanced by Mercy
As a Parent: When you enforce justice (consequences for actions), you still temper it with mercy. You might discipline your child but then comfort and guide them, showing them how to do better.
God's Justice: God's justice is perfect, yet He tempers it with mercy through Christ. While sin must be addressed, His mercy triumphs in offering us grace through Jesus (James 2:13).
"The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love." (Psalm 103:8)
Patience in Parenting
As a Parent: Some days stretch your patience, but the deeper your love, the more you persevere. You don’t give up on your children, even when they push boundaries.
God's Patience: God’s patience is immeasurable. He waits for us, giving us time to turn back to Him (2 Peter 3:9). His long-suffering nature shows His desire for relationship, not punishment.
"The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)
The Cost of Love
As a Parent: Loving deeply often means sacrificing—your time, energy, or even comfort. True love compels you to bear burdens for your kids’ sake.
God’s Love: The ultimate expression of this is seen in Jesus. God’s love drove Him to take on the weight of sin, a profound and unexplainable costly act to reconcile us to Him.
"God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)
Forgiveness and Reconciliation
As a Parent: Wrath doesn’t last forever. After discipline or correction, you seek reconciliation. Forgiveness rebuilds the relationship and assures your children of your unwavering love. When my incredible girls as for forgivenss, I look at them and say, “I forgive you, I love you, mommy loves you and Jesus loves you.” Then, I give them a BIG hug and do my best to forget it ever happened.
God’s Forgiveness: God fogivess unconditonally. God’s wrath toward sin was satisfied at the cross, making way for reconciliation with humanity. His forgiveness restores our relationship with Him. You dont have to earn your way to the cross. Ask God to forgive you and He will accept you no matter your past, because of Jesus.
"As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us." (Psalm 103:12)
Observations You Might Relate To:
Wrath and love coexist. Your discipline and anger as a parent often come from the same place as your affection—they are inseparable.
God’s love is parental, not transactional. He doesn’t love us because we earn it but because He is our Father.
There is hope in discipline. Just as you discipline to see growth in your children, God disciplines to draw us closer to Him and shape our character.
Never Finished Challenge - A Personal Choice
Isaiah 13:9 isn’t just a distant warning. It’s personal. We’ve all sinned, and we all need forgiveness. God offers it freely through Jesus—but we have to choose to accept it.
Will you trust the God who is both just and loving? Will you spend time with Him to understand Him so you aren’t lukewarm?
According to an article on DataProt, users spend an average of 145 minutes daily using social media. In a 73-year lifespan, the average individual will spend 5.7 years using social media platforms and websites at this rate. You become what you watch, so scroll through social today and look at the images and videos imprinting your character. Do you want to be jealous of the perfect couple, lust over that person, become anxious because you haven’t succeeded as you compare yourself to others, etc.?
Don’t waste time watching things that don't draw you closer to Jesus. Instead of social or whatever is gluing you to your phone, write down 3 things you are grateful for and 3 things you are sorry for to God every morning. Starting with gratitude and forgiveness, every morning aligns your heart with Him and gives you a powerful, eternal perspective on earth.
What does today say about God?
Isaiah 13:9 reminds us that God’s justice is real, but so is His mercy. My third daughter’s name is Mercy for a reason. My wife and I love this attribute of God. It reflects life, compassion, gentleness, and love. I find it profoundly comforting to be invited into a family where the Father—King of Kings, Shepherd, Friend, Creator—radiates mercy with the tenderness of an infant and justice with the strength of a fierce lion.
If there were an attribute in between—something lukewarm—I might be tempted to choose it. But lukewarmness leads nowhere and often causes us to regress. God’s justice and mercy, however, draw us forward into His perfect plan for us. Thank you, Jesus!
Love the connection to parenting! Grateful to be learning this alongside you!