The Advent Word for today is Equity, taken from the 1st lesson of the 2nd Sunday of Advent, Isaiah 11:4: He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;

Ah…the prophet has moved from preaching to meddling! Equity is not the same thing as equality. You’ve probably heard this example of the difference: Equality means giving everyone the same resources/opportunities, assuming a level playing field, while equity recognizes people start from different places and provides specific, tailored resources needed for everyone to reach the same successful outcome. If 3 kids of varying heights are trying to see over a fence, equality means you give them all the same size box to stand on, which may or may not correct the problem for all three of them. Equity means you give them a box that works for their height (or if tall, no box may be needed). Think of equality as a one-size-fits-all approach, while equity is about fairness by adjusting support to address individual needs, leading to truly equal results.  Equity has gotten a bad name in some parts (it’s the “E” in DEI programs), but in the Scriptures of Advent we hear God deciding with equity how to treat the poor and meek of the earth. Something to think about friends…