PRACTICE JUSTICE & MERCY
Micah 6:8
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Pastor Londia

          We live in a complex world, filled with great joy and great sorrow. One of the more difficult things to do in our country is to get help for violent people who are mentally ill. We must wait until they hurt themselves or others, and sometimes even that doesn’t work.

          In our youth room, a sign on the wall reads, “JUSTICE is when you get what you deserve. MERCY is when you don’t get what you deserve. Grace is when you get what you don’t deserve.” Last week thousands of students, faculty and staff moved about the Blacksburg, Virginia Tech campus as usual. They had no way of knowing that the day would end like no other. Violence, mental illness and evil joined forces to bring about great horror and multiple deaths. Those who were terrified, injured and killed were innocent. Justice means to be righteous, fair and balanced in our treatment of others. Where was Justice last week? Certainly nowhere to be found in the killer’s thoughts and actions. The massacre ended only with his suicide.

          People in one particular building were targeted more than others. A teacher helped as many students as possible escape through windows by placing himself between them and the murderer. He gave his life for others. Mercy means to provide help to those in need; to be kind and loving. Where was Mercy last week? In the heart and mind of that language professor who knew what it is like to live with unspeakable cruelty. As a World War II survivor of the Holocaust, he was unwilling to settle for saving his own life. He chose to practice Mercy.

          If we want Justice in our society, we have to work for it by confronting evil systems, overturning unjust laws, challenging cruel people and praying for the sins of the world. If we want Mercy in our world, we must share our time and skills with the poor and oppressed, give generously to our church’s ministries, sacrifice ourselves for others, and care enough about unsaved souls to share our faith with them. The Way of the Master is more than watching videos and discussing concepts every week. It’s putting those lessons in action.

          We hardly use the words Justice and Mercy anymore. But they are more than legal concepts. They are chief characteristics of God, and God wants his people to be like him! In the Book of Micah, chapter 6, verse 8, the prophet proclaimed God’s Word to the chosen people living in Samaria and Jerusalem. God was angry with them for long-term, widespread disobedience. Micah told them that Justice was on the way in the form of defeat by powerful armies and exile from their homeland. They were envious of each other’s possessions; they stole and embezzled to get what they wanted. They oppressed the poor and abused women and children. They were consistently unkind to one another. The religious leaders demanded bribes to teach and pray. God, the righteous judge, found them guilty and awarded punishment in proportion to their sins. Micah told them that God no longer wants sacrifices and burnt offerings: “He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

          God is even-handed: Justice for breakers of the law, Mercy for the next generation. Like a parent who chastises misbehaving children, God disciplines those whom he loves. Justice and Mercy are a package deal. Can the same be said for us? Do we practice both? In Matthew 5:7 Jesus taught, “Blessed are the merciful for they shall receive Mercy.” If you want to receive Justice, be just. If you want God’s mercy, be merciful.

          The third part of God’s requirement for us has to do with how we behave as we work for Justice and give Mercy. We are to walk humbly with God. If someone who knows you well were asked, would they describe you as being a humble person? The Greek definition means to be gentle, meek, mild and respectful of others. Do you think more highly of yourself than you should? When there are issues to be resolved in your home, at school, work, among your friends, here at church – do you believe your viewpoint should carry more weight than others? Are your opinions more important? This is something for all of us to pray about this week.

          In order to be Just and Merciful Christians we must practice it everyday, with no desire for recognition. Practice makes perfect. Let’s bring more justice, mercy and humbleness into our world and our lives. We can begin by practicing it here, among our church family. The world needs it, and so do we. Amen.