Chapter 29

Christians believe that they have received God’s unmerited favor. The Bible calls it mercy. Recipients of God’s mercy know that they don’t deserve it. It always comes as a shock to them, as it did to the Prodigal Son. “What, my father is welcoming me back as an honored son even though I humiliated him and lost the inheritance?” Mercy makes no sense apart from justice. How could we see how undeserving we are if there is no justice, no sense of right and wrong, no awareness of guilt? Prisoners will never understand or appreciate the mercy of victims who forgive them if they don’t first grasp the gravity of their wrongdoing. But justice makes no sense apart from mercy either. How can we see the purpose and necessity of justice if there is no mercy to redeem it? Again, prisoners will never experience hope if they live in a world ruled only by the iron fist of justice. All of us need mercy along the way. God calls us as his disciples to pursue justice and show mercy, too. Only the Holy Spirit can help us live in that tension. Our society desperately needs to see a people who embrace and practice both. What do you learn about justice in the following passages?

Exodus 22:1-13, 21-29; 23:1-13; Judges 2:6-23; II Samuel 11:1-12:15; Amos 4:1-5; 5:1-24

What do you learn about mercy in the following passages?

Luke 7:36-50; Luke 15

Justice is necessary to preserve the good order of society. But the goal is not simply the proper ordering of society as such but also the flourishing of that society, its people as well as its institutions. It should serve as a signifier to of the coming New Creation. There’s a great deal of bad news in the world today, as you know. Many people aren’t flourishing, and neither is creation. People around the world are suffering from injustice. Consider, for example, the massive number of refugees that have been forced from their homes because of persecution or war. Or consider environmental stress as the world produces more trash, the temperature rises, and species after species go extinct. The stresses and strains are obvious to all. It is easy to feel small and helpless. What can we do about it, as insignificant and powerless as we feel? It is during such moments that we can have confidence that our “labor is not in vain,” as Paul put it. The little we do can lead to big changes over time. We might not hold high political office or run a big corporation or have millions of dollars at our disposal, but we still have a part to play. We can learn to live justly. We can exercise responsibility to help create a just world. How can you practice justice in your everyday life in these four areas? Write down ideas and develop a plan of action.

• Showing respect to others

• Preserving rights (e.g., voting, assembly, speech)

• Living by rules that govern human behavior

• Take responsibility for your own actions and help others do the same

What did you learn about the importance of time and place (circumstances) from the biblical texts, the chapter, and your spiritual exercise? How did these sources of information and these practices change you? What was especially hard?What did you learn about justice and mercy in the chapter, the Bible study, and the spiritual exercise? Do you have a story about justice from your own life? Of mercy? How can you begin to live a more just life, considering your circumstances? How can you begin to show mercy?

Amos 5:21-24