Bestowing mercy on one usually involves stealing justice from another, almost always without their consent.
It's a thing to keep in mind when people invent a modern Sweet Jesus who is ever merciful, ignoring those who have been deprived of justice. Mercy that is not built on a foundation of justice is mere capitulation to inequity. It is cowardice, not courage. Mercy can of course exist and is the highest good. But the bar is high that prevents it from being a sham, a disguised cruelty that rewards one's friends at the expense of the deserving.
When Jesus saw the faith of the friends, he said to the cripple "Your sins are forgiven."
ReplyDeleteThe perfectly proper reaction of those around was "Who died and made you God?"
(freely paraphrased)
Since God is the one ultimately offended by our evil, He can forgive at will and show mercy as He pleases. His complaints have priority over ours.
I'm entitled (required) to forgive things done to me, but it's presumptuous for me to forgive things done to others.
Of course it's also presumptuous for me to execute judgment for things done to others unless I've been given that responsibility.
In that case--there's the risk of always finding extenuating circumstances for offenses done by members of my tribe, as you say.
There's an interesting but rather unpleasant book by a woman who became a fairly high-level Nazi official. She was originally drawn to the Nazi movement because they seemed sympathetic to the Common People, as opposed to her mother's dismissive snobbery toward same.
ReplyDeleteDefined as "compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender", among other definitions.
ReplyDeleteAs that does not seem to be what you are talking about, perhaps you could post your definition.
What does the Lord require of us? Only to seek justice, (and when perfect justice is unavailable, err on the side to ) show mercy, and walk humbly (not demanding perfection, just striving for it) with God.
ReplyDeleteWe are not confronting long unanswered questions here. Long ignored answers, maybe...