Day 202/365- Micah 6:8

"Justice & Mercy
not
Justice vs. Mercy"

No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good,
and this is what he requires of you:
to do what is right, to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8 NLT)

Micah 6:8 is God's answer to his own question. God asks them if they think he requires them to sacrifice because he desires bulls & oil. God does not require these things. He does not want empty sacrifices of animals from his people. Instead, he wants them to do right (do justly or justice), love mercy, & walk humbly with God.

Sounds simple.

But is it?

God wants his people to do right. To pursue justice. If we just focused on this part of the verse, we would find ourselves in an extreme place. We would find the more radical groups out there that are so focused on "doing right" (or what they think is right) but at the expense of people.

That is why God also says to love mercy! At first it seems that doing right & loving mercy are at odds. God not only wants us to pursue justice in this world but to also love mercy. In other words, people will not be perfect. Pursue righteousness & love those that aren't righteous. Isn't that what it's saying? One without the other is incomplete.

If we do justice only, we will may find ourselves requiring lost people to be righteous. We will condemn & beat down people for sin. I'm not saying we tolerate sin, but a hate of sin must be tempered with a love for sinners. We also must love mercy. In other words, be like Jesus. Jesus embodies Micah 6:8. He did justly & loved mercy & had a close relationship with God.

He told the woman caught in adultery to go & sin no more (do right). Her sin was not excused. But he also said he didn't condemn her (love mercy). So in the son of God is a righteous justice & at the same time a loving mercy.

The two intersect at the cross. God's justice is satisfied in the death of Jesus for sin & God's mercy is extended in the death of Jesus for sinners.

And this is the truth we now live in & must extend to others. We must call others to repentance of sin. But we must also love mercy & do it in a kind way. Jesus demands that we change & also gives us the grace to change in the same way.

And so, we must do right & tell others about God's righteous requirements & his ultimate punishment of sin. But we must also tell them of his unquestionable mercy toward those that turn to him. In this way, God's justice & his mercy walk hand in hand.