Mercy Triumphs Over Judgment
For over a month now, I have been making my home in western Michigan. I have settled into two part time job positions, I have been making really great friends with the people I work with, and I have been learning...and learning...and learning.
I have learned how to (decently) master the "Michigan left" while driving.
I have learned that west Michigan is considerably conservative.
I have learned consistently that I am not a morning person.
But the most important thing I think I'm learning is that mercy triumphs over judgment.
What the heck does that even mean?
I first heard these words spoken by Francis Chan as he quoted the verse out of James 2:13; "For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment." At the time I only thought about it as a powerful statement of a reflection of God's character. Little did I know it would also be something he would be teaching me during my two years as I work alongside people who work with those in situational and generational poverty; as I work alongside those who work with people still in prison or trying to be rehabilitated after prison; as I work alongside those who have a heart for bridging racial tensions in their communities; and as I work alongside those who desire to empower leaders in other countries to equip their people well.
In all of this, these words have swarmed my brain and tightened over my heart, and it continues a little bit more each day as I continue to have different conversations with those around me; mercy triumphs over judgment. Not just in a "I feel bad for you and probably shouldn't judge you/your situation" type of way, but in a "When he saw the crowds he had compassion for them..." type of way.
People have the capacity to display mercy, but sadly the human disposition is naturally inclined to lack in mercy towards others. But aren't we, who are created in God's image, made and commanded to reflect the very heart of our creator? What kind of a reflection of his heart is it when we neglect one of the most intrinsic attributes of his character? What kind of reflection of his heart is it when we sweep issues of injustice of God's creation under the rug with judgment trailing behind because it's "not our problem"?
When did our hearts stop caring because our mouths started running?
When did our egos get bigger and our capacity for compassion got smaller?
When did our need for judgment start triumphing over our capacity to show mercy to those who need it most?
When will we start reflecting God's heart once again by placing value on lives that have been destroyed by our societal systems put in place that sometimes seem to do more damage than good? This will only start when we come to the understanding of what mercy is and how it is imperative that mercy must always triumph over judgment.
I have learned how to (decently) master the "Michigan left" while driving.
I have learned that west Michigan is considerably conservative.
I have learned consistently that I am not a morning person.
But the most important thing I think I'm learning is that mercy triumphs over judgment.
What the heck does that even mean?
I first heard these words spoken by Francis Chan as he quoted the verse out of James 2:13; "For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment." At the time I only thought about it as a powerful statement of a reflection of God's character. Little did I know it would also be something he would be teaching me during my two years as I work alongside people who work with those in situational and generational poverty; as I work alongside those who work with people still in prison or trying to be rehabilitated after prison; as I work alongside those who have a heart for bridging racial tensions in their communities; and as I work alongside those who desire to empower leaders in other countries to equip their people well.
In all of this, these words have swarmed my brain and tightened over my heart, and it continues a little bit more each day as I continue to have different conversations with those around me; mercy triumphs over judgment. Not just in a "I feel bad for you and probably shouldn't judge you/your situation" type of way, but in a "When he saw the crowds he had compassion for them..." type of way.
People have the capacity to display mercy, but sadly the human disposition is naturally inclined to lack in mercy towards others. But aren't we, who are created in God's image, made and commanded to reflect the very heart of our creator? What kind of a reflection of his heart is it when we neglect one of the most intrinsic attributes of his character? What kind of reflection of his heart is it when we sweep issues of injustice of God's creation under the rug with judgment trailing behind because it's "not our problem"?
When did our hearts stop caring because our mouths started running?
When did our egos get bigger and our capacity for compassion got smaller?
When did our need for judgment start triumphing over our capacity to show mercy to those who need it most?
When will we start reflecting God's heart once again by placing value on lives that have been destroyed by our societal systems put in place that sometimes seem to do more damage than good? This will only start when we come to the understanding of what mercy is and how it is imperative that mercy must always triumph over judgment.
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