I see him always wanting justice. Always wanting the right thing to be done and ever-avoiding error.
If the rules get broken, Justice suffers a little inside. And the rules say that you don't pick on the little guy and you don't use foul language and you don't. make. trouble. Ever.
And also, if the Underdog is kicked down and abused, he is right there. After a long silence when you thought he was absent, when his lack of words seemed like approval or disinterest, Justice is there and he's been waiting. Justice keeps watch.
He'll put up with none of that.
So the Offender pushed and lashed with words that cut, and his size was his advantage.
Justice warned. Justice gave notice. Justice gave the Offender time to consider and to turn but offense runs like a river till it is stopped. So Justice stopped him.
This whole world abounds with injustice and numerous offenses, but don't ever think Justice is silent or lost.
If the kindness of the Lord leads us to repentance, then the shock of Justice sometimes reveals that kindness. Slow to anger, but still just.
The Offender came later for forgiveness, with deep repentance. And the first one to extend it and offer no-hard-feelings was Justice, clothed with Mercy.
We thought Justice would push for punishment but instead he threw out this Mercy like hope.
Hope that enough was enough. Hope that Mercy was better than sacrifice. Hope that completely restores, because Mercy opens our eyes to all we deserve and don't get.
{This post is part of Five Minute Friday with Lisa-Jo and hundreds of others, all of us writing on MERCY this week and sharing what happens in 5 minutes.}