“I met Dr. Calvert in 2005 when he and his family were missionaries in Ecuador. On my first mission trip to work with the Calvert family we prayed a lot, led Bible studies, and went house to house sharing the Gospel. Among his many gifts as a committed Christ follower is the fact that the Word of God has filled his heart and mind with the mandate to center his life on the Great Commission. This fire to share the Gospel burns brightly in his ministry, and it has influenced everything in his life as my Pastor for the past ten years. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Dr. Calvert began writing a series of devotionals. The first one, The Gift of Courage, is an encouragement to all who lean into it. I highly suggest you continue the journey by reading his second book, The Gift of Justice. It teaches us to cast aside the trauma of injustice as we follow Jesus, and that the battle cry of our heart must be the proclamation of salvation through Him. Thank you, Dr. Calvert, for sharing this labor of love with us.” 

~ Wes Baker, Amigos en Cristo para la Eternidad

“The Gift of Justice is ridiculously fitting to our times and the church - right now, today. If you’ve ever wondered why your community doesn’t love your church as much as you do, or why you don’t always truly feel a sense of urgency in reaching the lost, this book is for you. Is this daily devotional the kind of “magic bullet” that fixes almost everything? Decide for yourself. It addresses our internal obstacles that impede genuine, edifying fellowship, all while exposing our external testimony that hinders effective evangelism. Dr. Calvert plainly speaks to every Christian’s struggle through tough times. Whatever your situation, The Gift of Justice honors your time, clears away lengthy explanations, and takes you right to the heart of Scripture. Once there, it helps you confront the hurts you both feel and create, taking them to the Father, and clearing a path for the deep and powerful walk with God for which you’ve been longing.” 

~ Ron Sutton, Missionary to Ecuador

The year was 1995. It was an otherwise nondescript year, though it stands out in my mind for two significant reasons. First, I was a recently married graduate student living in Reykjavík, Iceland. I was there as a Fulbright Scholar pursuing my doctorate in Political Science with concentrations in American Government, Comparative Politics, and International Relations. 

Though living near the Arctic Circle, I gravitated to news from around the world, which leads to the second indelible memory of that year. In the midst of my dissertation research and our European adventures, I was closely following the reports about something rather fascinating and inspiring occurring at the other end of the globe. The indomitable dissident, Nelson Mandela, who had spent some 27 years in prison for his opposition to the injustices of apartheid, was helping to establish a path toward national and racial reconciliation. 

This was a daunting task, as apartheid had been used as a lever of systemic and systematic racism and oppression in South Africa for 300 years. Having been granted his freedom in 1990 by President F. W. de Klerk, it was becoming increasingly obvious that Mr. Mandela was no ordinary statesman. He was attempting, and would achieve, something stunningly amazing. He set out, with the help of many other visionaries, to peacefully bring South Africa into the community of modern nations. It was a huge task. Nelson Mandela was up to the challenge. 

I watched from the vantage point of an island nation in the North Atlantic to see what would become of the valiant effort to peacefully transition South African society from one of overt racial discrimination to one of economic, political, and social inclusiveness. The future, indeed the soul, of the nation was at stake. In one of the best examples of seeking justice through restoration with dignity the world has ever seen, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was envisioned, created, and implemented. 

The TRC was established in 1995 with the explicit goal of leading South Africa through an intentional process of information gathering and dialogue that would result in a clearer understanding of the many injustices committed by numerous individuals and groups between 1960 and 1994. It was a process fraught with tremendous challenges, hurdles, and obstacles. Nonetheless, those intrepid justice warriors persevered and rose to the occasion. 

Many human rights violations were uncovered, and victims and perpetrators alike contributed their own stories to the overall narrative of the tragic events that had regrettably transpired. As evidence of the incredible change that was already taking place, Nelson Mandela had been elected President of South Africa in 1994. He served in that capacity until 1999. The TRC, despite its imperfections, had the desired effect in that South Africa peacefully transitioned from being a country divided by apartheid to becoming a representative democratic nation. 

It was a concerted effort that showed the world that a people could emerge from widespread oppression with their heart and soul intact. The work of the TRC, and Nelson Mandela’s wisdom in pursuing a path of restoration with dignity, made a lasting impression on me as a political scientist, missionary, pastor, professor, husband, and father. The TRC remains the gold standard of national and interpersonal conflict resolution and restoration in the midst of unspeakable violations of the dignity and rights of our fellow human beings. Today there is still oppression in the world, whether it be economic, political, racial, or social injustice. 

The following devotionals are written to help remind us that justice is a human imperative, and that true justice is seen in restraint far more often than in retribution. Restraint is natural and organic. Retribution is contrived and forced, thereby leading to further victimization and revenge. Justice is not the advantage of the stronger, as famously stated by Thrasymachus in Plato’s Republic. 

The Word of God conclusively shows that justice ultimately is in the Lord’s hands, which is where it rightly belongs. When we love others as we love ourselves, we discover that justice is a gift from God, and that we can achieve it if we pursue it His way. This 40-day devotional is written to help each of us journey through the bitter betrayal, disappointment, and pain of injustice. Do not repay evil with evil. Rather, may you find healing and restoration with dignity. 

 ~Philip William Calvert 

Most of us know people who have suffered tremendous injustice at the hands of others. The humiliation and pain inflicted upon them is staggering, and sometimes beyond human comprehension. In so many ways it defies logic that some people could be so cruel and vindictive toward others. Despite incredible odds many of those who are subjected to unspeakable injustice have managed to not only overcome the abuse and oppression, but have thrived because of it!

It is to all those who have overcome great odds, and who have maintained their dignity, grace, and humanity, that I dedicate this book. Indeed, human society would be far more capable of flourishing if we followed the lead of those who fully appreciate and understand the value of true justice, for through these people we see moments of restoration with dignity between offender and offended, perpetrator and victim.

Posthumously to Mr. Nelson Mandela, one of my heroes of modern statecraft, and to all those who have both pursued and set the gold standard of genuine justice, as well as those that desperately seek restorative justice in a very angry, broken, fallen, and hurting world, I dedicate this book. They are shining examples of the gift of justice. May the Lord greatly use their genuine example for His glory.

~Philip William Calvert