Go! And… Speak Up For Those Who Cannot Speak For Themselves - Proverbs 31:8 Series

Go! And… Speak Up for those who cannot speak for themselves - Proverbs 31:8

Introduction: A Call to Courageous Compassion

There are moments when silence is not golden—it is deadly.

Moments when looking the other way is not grace—it is neglect.

Moments when God calls His people not to remain silent, but to speak up—to become His voice of truth, justice, and compassion in a broken world.

Today, on Safeguarding Sunday, we turn to a powerful command from God’s Word:

Proverbs 31:8 (NLT): “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed.”

This is not a gentle suggestion—it is a divine command.

It is God calling His people to stand in the gap for the vulnerable, to act with courage, to love with compassion, and to reflect the heart of Jesus Christ—the One who defended the weak, healed the broken, and gave His life to redeem the lost.

Let’s explore together what this verse means for us today—how we can go and speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, and how doing so reflects the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

1. The Call to Speak Up: Understanding God’s Heart for the Vulnerable

Proverbs 31:8–9 (NLT): “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.”

These words come from the wise sayings attributed to King Lemuel, taught to him by his mother. This is a mother’s prophetic instruction to her son—a ruler—to lead with righteousness and act with compassion.

The Hebrew phrase for “speak up” is peta? pî?a (?????????????), literally meaning “open your mouth.”

It’s not passive; it’s active. It’s a command to break silence. To stand against injustice. To open your mouth when others close theirs.

In God’s eyes, silence in the face of suffering is sin. The call to speak up is a call to act—to intervene, to defend, to protect.

Isaiah 1:17 (NLT): “Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.”

The Prophet Isaiah echoes the same command centuries later. God’s people are not to be spectators of suffering—they are to be participants in justice.

To “seek justice” (darash mishpat in Hebrew) means to actively pursue righteousness in society, especially for those who are vulnerable.

John Piper once said, “Doing justice means treating people in a way that reflects the infinite worth of God.”

When we defend the weak, we reflect the God who created them in His image.

When we speak up for those who are silenced by fear or pain, we echo the heart of our Saviour who spoke up for us when we were lost in sin.

The Lighthouse Keeper

There was once a lighthouse keeper who was given enough oil for one month. He kept the lamp burning to warn ships of the rocks.

During the month, villagers came asking for oil—for their homes, their lamps, and their needs. He compassionately shared it until the oil ran out.

That night, several ships were wrecked, and many lives were lost.

When the keeper was confronted, he said, “I was trying to be kind.”

The reply came: “You were appointed to keep the light burning.”

Church, we are appointed to keep the light burning—to safeguard, protect, and shine the light of Christ in a dark world.

2. The Example of Christ: The Defender of the Weak

Throughout His earthly ministry, Jesus stood with those who were ignored, despised, and vulnerable.

Luke 4:18–19 (NLT): “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favour has come.”

Jesus declared His mission at the start of His ministry: to bring freedom, healing, and restoration.

In Greek, the word for “oppressed” (thrauo) literally means “to be broken into pieces.”

Jesus came for the broken ones—and every act of safeguarding, every step to protect a vulnerable life, echoes His ministry of restoration.

As Charles Stanley once said, “Obedience always brings blessing because it aligns us with the heart of God.”

When we obey the call to safeguard the vulnerable, we align with the very heartbeat of our Saviour. We become the hands and feet of Jesus.

3. The Responsibility of the Church: Reflecting God’s Character

The Church is called to be a safe place—a refuge for the hurting, a sanctuary for the weary, a family for the forgotten.

James 1:27 (NLT): “Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.”