Tuesday, December 6, 2011

James 2:13, no mercy.

For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. NKJV
There are times when we really don't feel like showing mercy. We just don't.

Someone makes a mistake that causes us a serious problem.

Someone doesn't just make a mistake, they do something seriously foolish.

Someone steals from us.

They hurt us, and they should have known better.

They hurts us. Intentionally.

They betray us.

They hurt someone we love.

.
.
.


A plane is flown into a building.

In the eyes of God it does not matter what sin is committed, what transgression is made or what law is broken. He is perfect and by sinning even once with the 'smallest of things', such as eating something we had been told not to, just a single bite of fruit, we become marred. We become enslaved to sin. We fall short of the holy perfection of God and can no longer stand in His presence, let alone live with Him.

Yet God in His mercy did not simply poor out judgment. He provided an escape clause, a loophole, a plan for our redemption, and at a great cost to Himself that would come with pain. Rather than pouring out judgment instantly He waited. When sin was committed the judgment was due; there was no need to wait for Calvary.

But God chose to. He chose to wait for such a time as we might come to Him. Despite the sadness we bring to Him, our repeated betrayals and our murder of His perfect son He chose to wait that the plan might come to fruition. He allowed us to hurt Him that, while in His perfection justice must be rendered, there could still be a plan for lawful and acceptable mercy.

God is perfect in His justice, but He is also perfect in His love and mercy. Where justice reacts to transgression, mercy reacts to justice. Justice must always be fulfilled, but mercy finds its way.

In matters of law justice rules. As is said, “Justice is blind”. In a system of law there is no place for mercy because a system of law is imperfect, unliving, unloving, an abstract object without feeling. But we as humans are capable of mercy because we are on the same playing field, we have all transgressed though the individual transgressions may be differ. We are capable of mercy because in our transgression we have been shown mercy.

By law, by justice, a transgression cannot be overlooked. If it were to be overlooked than justice would have been perverted, broken and unfulfilled.

But because we are capable of justice, but as being in the image of God, like God, are not justice alone, we can show mercy by choice. As we are not perfect little may need to be done for that mercy to be offered. God is perfect and in His mercy created the way for our transgressions to be blotted out, because to simply say, “You did bad but I can forgive you.” would leave the sin there.

We as humans are all sinful, all imperfect, all needing mercy, and in that we are capable of showing our imperfect mercy. After all, what right does one criminal have to judge another?

Today someone will do something that affects me, hurts me or causes me some displeasure and I will, as always, have a choice: Will I show mercy or won't I? Justice has its place, but do I have the right to act as judge? I would much prefer when the time comes to show the love of Christ and be a witness and testimony of His glory by showing the love and mercy He has shown sinful me to those who truly have sinned only before God. [Psalm 51]

Studies to share: Jaymi's

I pray
to God
that He brings
my heart
to want
what He wants
for the reasons
He wants it.
Amen.

1 comment:

  1. Very true words.. maybe especially during the holidays we are drawn towards showing mercy when it should be practiced all year around, just as God loves us all year long..

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