Micah 6:8 (NIV) 8 He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
Justice and Mercy follow each other in this well-known Old Testament verse as well as in the beatitudes.
I can clearly remember a time when I was reading a book to an individual with a developmental disability. Suddenly and without warning (as is often the case with this individual) he reached out and gripped my arm with his fingernails. I quickly pulled my arm away and turned to face him leaving red scratches on my forearm. Anger began to rise in me and I had a strong desire to push him, to make sure he understood that he had hurt me, to punish him for what he had done. Praise be to God that I did not act on that impulse but was able to restrain myself. I looked at him and said “No”. Then I left the room.
It wasn’t fair.
Why should he be able to hurt me and receive no punishment?
He had no right!
This was a very momentary feeling. Even a few minutes after the event I felt silly for my anger. I knew this individual had huge obstacles in his life that I could never understand.
Matthew 5:7 (NIV) 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
When we are wronged we cry for Justice.
When we are in the wrong we cry for Mercy.
God wants us to forgive one another, to be merciful to each other. This requires us to set aside our rights. The cross is the ultimate example of this. Imagine how much restraint it took to Jesus to take that unjust punishment for us, for him not to say
This isn’t fair.
Why should they be able to hurt me and receive no punishment?
They have no right!
God wants us to forgive as we have been forgiven. He isn’t an outside observer. He knows the cost. Jesus lived a perfect life and was crucified for it. And we think we have the right to not show mercy…to say it isn’t fair?
Mark Wallace
Justice and Mercy follow each other in this well-known Old Testament verse as well as in the beatitudes.
I can clearly remember a time when I was reading a book to an individual with a developmental disability. Suddenly and without warning (as is often the case with this individual) he reached out and gripped my arm with his fingernails. I quickly pulled my arm away and turned to face him leaving red scratches on my forearm. Anger began to rise in me and I had a strong desire to push him, to make sure he understood that he had hurt me, to punish him for what he had done. Praise be to God that I did not act on that impulse but was able to restrain myself. I looked at him and said “No”. Then I left the room.
It wasn’t fair.
Why should he be able to hurt me and receive no punishment?
He had no right!
This was a very momentary feeling. Even a few minutes after the event I felt silly for my anger. I knew this individual had huge obstacles in his life that I could never understand.
Matthew 5:7 (NIV) 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
When we are wronged we cry for Justice.
When we are in the wrong we cry for Mercy.
God wants us to forgive one another, to be merciful to each other. This requires us to set aside our rights. The cross is the ultimate example of this. Imagine how much restraint it took to Jesus to take that unjust punishment for us, for him not to say
This isn’t fair.
Why should they be able to hurt me and receive no punishment?
They have no right!
God wants us to forgive as we have been forgiven. He isn’t an outside observer. He knows the cost. Jesus lived a perfect life and was crucified for it. And we think we have the right to not show mercy…to say it isn’t fair?
Mark Wallace
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