How many here love justice? Looking around the room, I see every hand raised. Justice feels good, doesn’t it? Christians like when things are fair.
But here’s the thing: Scripture never called us to love justice. In fact, it tells us to love mercy instead. We are supposed to act in justice, but we aren’t called to pray for it.
I’ve been reading in the Bible the scenes where the Israelites brazenly disobey God in the wilderness. They even complain about their leader, Moses. Then God talks to Moses and tells him how much he wants to destroy the people. It’s justice that they be destroyed for rebelling against Moses and against God. But Moses asks for God’s mercy.
If you look into the theology of those moments, you realize that God isn’t the bad guy in this situation. He’s giving Moses a chance to act on the true heart of God—to love mercy. When Moses asks God to spare the lives of the Israelites, Moses is acting within God’s heart.
What if Christians acted more like that? Yes, sin is rampant in our society. It’s unjust that sinners escape the wrath of God. And I know way too many Christians who post on social media about how much they hope God’s justice will fill the earth.
But I don’t believe that reflects the heart of God. Yes, God is all about justice. But superseding that, he’s about mercy. I believe God wants us to fill social media with mercy instead. I believe he wants us to pray for mercy in this world.
Do all you can to act justly. But love mercy enough to pray that injustice prevails so that God’s name would be made great. Not injustice that hurts the world, but injustice that gives mercy to a world that desperately needs it.