Fixing What Is Broken Around You

by Zeke Flores

"So you shall remove the guilt of innocent blood from your midst, when you do what is right in the eyes of Yahweh" (Deuteronomy 21:9).

This verse comes from a section dealing with unsolved murder.  Israel was responsible for maintaining justice even when the offender wasn’t known. The community had to take action, acknowledge the seriousness of the situation, and demonstrate accountability. The point is that justice isn’t passive. It requires deliberate steps to keep a community healthy.

We often think responsibility applies only when we directly cause a problem. Deuteronomy 21 pushes against that. Sometimes responsibility means addressing what’s broken around you, even if you didn’t create it. Doing what is right in God’s eyes includes stepping into situations that need clarity, fairness, or repair.

In your own context, consider where you might need to take responsibility for something you didn’t cause but can help correct. It might be a relational conflict, a workplace issue, or a pattern that needs addressing. Deuteronomy 21:9 reminds us that integrity includes proactive action.