Scripture
Proverbs 11:30 — “The fruit of the righteous [tzaddik] is a tree of life, and the one who is wise saves lives.”
Whether you agree with his politics or not, you have to respect Rev. Joel Simpson’s willingness to take a stand.
Simpson is the pastor of First United Methodist Church in Taylorsville. On May 5, 2025, he drove to Washington D.C. with a church member, knelt in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda to pray about federal budget proposals, and was arrested along with four other faith leaders.
He wasn’t there as a Democrat or Republican. He was there as a pastor who believed the proposed budget cuts to Medicaid, food stamps, and housing assistance would hurt the people in his rural North Carolina community — people he baptizes, marries, and buries. People whose names he knows and whose struggles keep him awake at night.
“Budgets are moral documents,” Simpson said. “God cares about budgets and policies.”
Now, you might completely disagree with his position on federal spending. You might think his politics are wrong, his methods misguided, his theology off-base. That’s fine. But here’s what you can’t argue with: his commitment to “tzedek”.
“Tzedek” isn’t about having the right political opinions. It’s about being willing to act on your convictions, even when it costs you something. It’s about refusing to stay silent when you believe injustice is happening, even when speaking up makes people uncomfortable.
Simpson didn’t have to go to Washington. He could have stayed home, written a letter to his congressman, posted something on social media, and called it good. But “tzedek” wouldn’t let him.
The Hebrew word “tzedek” creates ripple effects that go far beyond individual actions. When one person chooses to live out their convictions publicly, it gives others permission to examine their own convictions. It creates conversations that wouldn’t have happened otherwise. It forces communities to wrestle with questions they’d rather avoid.
Simpson’s congregation had to grapple with what it means to have a pastor who gets arrested for his beliefs. His community had to wrestle with whether they agreed with his actions or not. Other pastors had to ask themselves: “What would I be willing to get arrested for? What injustices am I seeing but not addressing?”
That’s the ripple effect of “tzedek”. One person’s commitment to righteousness creates waves that touch everyone around them.
I see this pattern throughout Scripture. When Daniel refused to stop praying, it wasn’t just about his personal relationship with God — it changed how an entire empire thought about religious freedom. When Esther chose to approach the king uninvited, it wasn’t just about her courage — it saved her entire people. When the Hebrew midwives refused to kill baby boys, it wasn’t just about their individual consciences — it preserved the future of Israel.
“Tzedek” is contagious. When people see someone willing to sacrifice for righteousness, it awakens something in them. It reminds them that they too have convictions worth acting on. It challenges them to move from spectator to participant.
But here’s the thing: “tzedek” ripples work in both directions. Injustice in one area affects everything else too. When we ignore suffering in our community, it deadens our hearts to suffering everywhere. When we stay silent about wrongs we can see, it becomes easier to stay silent about wrongs we can’t see.
The opposite is also true. When we act on our convictions in one area, it strengthens our ability to act on them everywhere. When we speak up for justice in our workplace, it becomes easier to speak up for justice in our family. When we stand with the vulnerable in our community, it opens our eyes to vulnerability everywhere.
This is why the prophets were so passionate about “tzedek”. They understood that righteousness creates more righteousness, just like injustice creates more injustice. They knew that one person’s commitment to making things right could change entire communities.
You don’t have to agree with Joel Simpson’s politics to recognize his “tzedek”. You don’t have to support his methods to respect his willingness to act on his convictions. You don’t have to share his theology to appreciate his commitment to the people he serves.
But you do have to ask yourself:
What injustices do I see but not address?
What convictions do I hold but not act on?
What ripples of righteousness could I create if I had the courage to take a stand?
Takeaway
Tzedek is contagious. When we work to make things right in one area, it creates ripple effects that touch everything around us. One person’s righteousness can awaken righteousness in others.
Closing Prayer
God, help me understand that my commitment to “tzedek” matters not just for me but for my whole community. Give me courage to act on my convictions, even when it’s uncomfortable. Use my commitment to righteousness to create ripples of justice that reach farther than I can imagine.
Grace and Peace,
Andrea