萊恩在青少年時期母親就因癌症去世，這使他無家可歸，也很快輟學了。他感到絕望，而且經常挨餓。多年後，萊恩設立一個非營利組織，幫助人們（特別是孩子們）學習種植與收割，並且教導他們用從菜園採收的蔬果預備餐點。該組織的基本信念是﹕沒有人應該挨餓，而且擁有食物的人應照顧那些缺乏的人。萊恩對人們的關懷，正反映出上帝的公義和憐憫之心。

上帝非常關心我們所面對的痛苦和磨難。當祂看見以色列人毫無公義憐憫，便差派先知阿摩司去譴責他們的虛偽。上帝曾經將以色列人從埃及的逼迫中拯救出來，現在他們卻為了一雙鞋而將鄰居賣為奴隸（阿摩司書2章6節）。他們賣了無辜的人，不肯為受壓迫的人伸張正義，甚至踐踏窮人（6-7節），卻假裝在聖日用供物敬拜上帝（4章4-5節）。

阿摩司懇切地勸戒眾人﹕「你們要求善，不要求惡，就必存活。這樣，耶和華萬軍之上帝必照你們所說的，與你們同在」（5章14節）。像萊恩一樣，我們每個人的生命都曾經歷一些痛苦和不公，因此能理解別人並提供幫助。現在就是行善的良機，讓我們與上帝一起播下公義的種子吧！

As a teenager, Ryan lost his mom to cancer. He found himself homeless and soon dropped out of school. He felt hopeless and often went hungry. Years later, Ryan founded a nonprofit that empowers others, especially young children, to plant, harvest, and prepare their own garden-grown food. The organization is built on the belief that nobody should go without food and that those who have something should care for those who don’t. Ryan’s concern for others resonates with the heart of God for justice and mercy.

God cares deeply about the pain and suffering we face. When He observed terrible injustice in Israel, He sent the prophet Amos to call out their hypocrisy. The people God once rescued from oppression in Egypt were now selling their neighbors into slavery over a pair of sandals (Amos 2:6). They betrayed innocent people, denied justice to the oppressed, and trampled “on the heads” of the poor (vv. 6-7), all while pretending to worship God with offerings and holy days (4:4-5).

“Seek good, not evil, that you may live,” Amos pleaded with the people. “Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is” (5:14). Like Ryan, each of us has experienced enough pain and injustice in life to be able to relate to others and to be of help. The time is ripe to “seek good” and join Him in planting every kind of justice.