Mercy and truth lift us above superficial judgement. We are living in days of polarizing accusations that lead us to division and disunity. It is sad that I suspect most people find themselves watching their word choices carefully, if they choose to speak at all. Division arises through accusation and through self-imposed silence.
The Apostle John tells us this is nothing new. “Stop judging based on the superficial. First you must embrace the standards of mercy and truth.” John 7:24 TPT. Or in the NLT, “Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly.” We cannot assume that silence means agreement. At the same time, those who are silent need to find their voices.
How do we learn to let mercy and truth lift us above superficial judgement?
I like what James has to say about judging, since that is what often leads to accusations. “For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” ESV The NLT it expresses it differently. “There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.” James 2:13 (Emphasis mine in both versions.)
As I look at and pray about these two different translations I see a different emphasis in each. In the first, with the word triumph, I love the emphasis on victory. The problem comes when we begin to align as, or assign others as, winners or losers. So often the enemy lies to us that we are losers and not victorious, but we are victorious. In Christ, we are winners. There is no more condemnation in Christ.
In the second translation, mercy is freely given and is our resource to give to others. For this to work, we have to enter into the “mercy loop.” This idea is related to us being able to love because God loves us first. Like with love, mercy originates with Creator, and we much choose to receive it.
Christ is the perfect example of the creation of the mercy loop. What makes Him perfect is our Creator’s desire for loving relationships. Jesus came to restore right relationships, and he suffered all the judgements that belong to us to make restoration possible.
This restoration of relationships is the central concept to the gospel, which means truth. When we accept and allow it to happen, the vertical restoration flows, and then overflows through us. Our position of victor is not in opposition to the vanquished. Rather it frees us to be merciful, which pours us, and others, into the mercy loop, lifting us above superficial judgement.
This weekend we celebrate the beginning of Passover, and Palm Sunday, Jesus’ triumphal entry in to Jerusalem. The promise of the Passover lamb is fulfilled in Jesus, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.
Take a few moments to talk with Abba about entering into His mercy and truth. I pray we all take this opportunity to let them lift us above superficial judgement so we are able to look below the surface.
