10.15.2007

Mercy

Has God ever done something and you just didn't know how to deal with it? His ways are not our ways and sometimes He makes things happen, or lets things happen, and we just can't seem to fathom His reasoning! I believe one of the big reasons we struggle with God's decisions is that we don't understand mercy.
If three cars are driving down the highway and all three of them are speeding when they pass a police officer and he pulls one of them over and lets the other two go, is that unjust? Most people would say yes, it is. Human reasoning says that it is not fair. If the police officer let the two go because he knows them or is related to them or is biased for the two or against the one for any reason then, yes, it is unfair. But, if the officer randomly chose the one for no biased reason, then it is not unfair; one received justice while two received mercy! God is no respecter of persons. In other words, He loves everyone equally. He is not biased either for or against anyone. If one receives mercy and another receives justice, the one who received justice has no legitimate complaint; if he is guilty then justice is deserved! The fact that God chose to show mercy to the other one is not his business! God said "I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy." It is His to give as He sees fit!
In one parable a landowner pays the same wages to workers who worked only one hour as he pays to workers who worked all day long. Those who worked all day long complained that it was unfair. But the landowner said "Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage? Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you. Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?". The fact of the matter is, God's mercy angers us if we are the ones who received justice. We have no legitimate complaint. If we are guilty then justice is just. But the fact that someone else received mercy while we received justice seems unfair to us.
We need to see things from God's perspective. We need to understand and remember that He is perfect. He is just and faithful and there is no darkness in him.


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