The Daily Devotional
Saturday, July 12, 2025
Faith in the Fire: Remembering Bisbee and the Courage to Stand
Learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow. (Isaiah 1:17)
Introduction
On July 12, 1917, the quiet mining town of Bisbee, Arizona, became the site of a dark chapter in American labor history. Nearly 1,300 striking miners—many of them immigrants—were rounded up at gunpoint by a group of vigilantes, herded onto boxcars, and dumped in the middle of the New Mexico desert without food or water. Stripped of their rights and dignity, these men were abandoned in brutal summer heat. In the days that followed, the U.S. government intervened, sending the Army to assist in relocating the deportees to Columbus, New Mexico. The Bisbee Deportation remains a haunting reminder of what happens when justice is ignored and fear rules the day. It also challenges us to ask: when others are cast aside, will we stand silent, or will we seek justice?
Reflection
Isaiah’s call is clear: doing good and seeking justice isn’t passive—it’s a learned, active response to the brokenness around us. When we read, “rescue the oppressed,” we are hearing God’s heart for the vulnerable, the overlooked, and the mistreated.
Think of a modern-day workplace where an employee bravely reports unsafe conditions or unfair treatment—maybe it's the warehouse worker who raises concerns about long hours without breaks or the nurse who challenges understaffing that risks patient care. Often, those who speak up suffer consequences. It’s far easier to stay out of it than to stand beside someone who’s become a target. But true faith lives in those hard decisions.
A friend once told me about a time he defended a colleague being unjustly blamed for a team failure. Everyone else stepped back, afraid of getting dragged down, but he chose to advocate for the truth. Later, he said, “If we won’t stand up when it’s hard, what good is our faith on paper?” Justice is not a theory; it’s a practice—a series of decisions to show up when it matters.
Application
Where in your life might God be asking you to seek justice? Maybe it's advocating for someone who is mistreated, offering support to someone who feels forgotten, or learning more about the social challenges in your community. Today, ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes—and then give you the courage to act.
Conclusion
The Bisbee Deportation reminds us that injustice is not only something we read about in history—it happens whenever fear overrides compassion and silence replaces courage. But God calls us to a different path. As followers of Jesus, we are invited into the holy work of defending the vulnerable and standing up when it costs something. Let us not forget the past, but let it guide us into faith-filled action today.
Prayer
Merciful Lord, You see every injustice, every forgotten life, every cry for help. Thank You for calling us to be people of compassion and courage. Teach us to seek justice—not just in words, but in how we live and love. Forgive us for the times we have looked away or chosen comfort over conviction. Stir in us a holy restlessness to stand with the oppressed and to reflect Your justice in all we do. May our faith shine brightest when we choose what is right, even when it's hard. In the name of Jesus, our Righteous Advocate, Amen.
Devotional by: Kenny Sallee, ThM — Deming, NM, USA
The Bible texts are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible (NRSV)© 1989, 1993, the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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