Titus 1-3

(August 15, 2013)
I adore Paul’s writings about our need to deal with our fellow men.  We so often believe, when confronted with what we think to be their failings, that we are justified in our anger against them.  If only they hadn’t done this, we tell ourselves, we wouldn’t have a problem with them.  Because they have worked against me, however, justice demands that they pay a price for what they have done.

But there is the concept of justice again.  While justice will have its day, the demands of justice may still be met by mercy.  Even assuming the worst-case scenario – that the actions of our enemy were deliberately and maliciously designed to hurt us – we should remain fixed with a view of this enemy of love for them.  If we demand justice, should we not also pray that the demands of justice be met through mercy according to the Lord’s will?  After all, the demands of justice would condemn us, if we did not have the Atonement of Christ to rescue us from those things that we do deliberately wrong, and with malicious intent (including harboring resentment towards those who injure us!).  Can we not extend the same cloak of mercy over those who wrong us?