Judgment and/or mercy?

Yesterday I thought about people with a horrible past. What about people with a horrible present? What about those whose attitude toward God, goodness, and truth is so lousy that there seems no hope? What if those people claim to be Christians?

I don’t know who said it first, but my husband often repeats it: If you can’t decide between judgment and mercy, it is better to err on the side of mercy. He repeats it because I tend to err on the side of judgment. I might be in good company.

Today’s reading is from Acts 15: “Then after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us now go back and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing.” Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark. But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work. Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus; but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.”

Mark had a lapse of courage and dropped out. Barnabas, whose name means “Son of Encouragement,” decided to take him along anyway. Paul, on the other hand, was determined that anyone who disobeyed their leadership was not fit to serve in their ministry.

Who was right? Paul’s attitude was not wrong. Even though Mark eventually was restored to their ministry, maybe it was Paul’s refusal that made him realize the importance of being a team player, regardless of personal fears.

Barnabas was not wrong either. Mark was a child of God. He needed someone to come alongside him, to encourage him to overcome his weaknesses. Paul, and certainly God, may cast us off for a little while, but the goal is always restoration.

This is never an easy process. One group I belong to had to challenge someone this week. I’m sure some of us would rather have ignored the problem. Others felt angry and wanted to give the offender the boot. From this and other Bible passages, we concluded the answer lie in the middle. The offense must not be allowed or repeated, however we must also offer a way to be restored, and some encouragement toward being a better person.

My conclusion, at least until God shows me otherwise, is that judgment and mercy are not opposites. God calls a spade a spade, but at the same time offers forgiveness and hope. He tells us to “speak the truth in love” with the purpose of bringing one another to Christlike maturity. This is a challenge to a black and white person like myself, but after this week, I can see the importance of remembering how God does it, rather than how my natural inclination would do it.