Justice and Mercy

He has declared to you, O man, what is good; 

And what does Jehovah require of you, 

But that you would execute justice and love mercy 

And walk humbly with your God? Micah  6:8   

The word of God has been a guiding light for my path in all the things I have been facing in my life. There were times when it was so tough to make a decision. If I were in a secular company dealing with gentiles, it would have been a lot easier to deal with people. Thre are principle laid down on personnel management had to be simply followed, and that's it. But now, my position is to deal with a person who is an employee and also a brother in the church. Where do I draw the line between official responsibility and shepherding a weaker brother? This was a very good spiritual lesson for me to learn. I had no choice but to face the situation head-on and take a decision.

An employee, a brother in the church, had not reported to work for over two weeks. He had his reason for physical weakness which was beyond his control. He was completely down on bed and could not do anything else. In his absence, his works were not done but it did not affect the main function of the office. He was merely a hired worker to do cleaning and other menial works, and he is not a regular staff. Still, action need to be taken. But how? 

To be in the natural man and fire him is the easiest decision to take. I believe many would do this right away. But as for me, I need to take the case to the Lord and seek for His leading. I took this as an opportunity to seek the Lord and learn from Him. If I cannot learn my spiritual lesson in a case like this, I reckon myself disqualified for the work the Lord has assigned me. I cannot be like any other secular or worldly person doing things in the natural man according to the knowledge of good and evil. Therefore, I took the matter to the Lord again and again until the Lord spoke to me the verse, "But that you would execute justice and love mercy."  

Officially I need to take action to execute justice. Therefore, when he was healthy enough to speak to, I fellowshipped with him and told him that his regular official pay would be cut, for he did not work for it. But there is the side of mercy too. Instead of cuitting him off completely, I felt led to open a mercy door.  So, on the one hand, I let him know that his status has been demoted from regular pay, but he can still work and still receive his pay according to his work. Before he would be paid monthly, now he would be paid per his work. No work, no pay, yet still he can work. He will still work, but his pay is no longer a monthly payment, but pay per work. This is a combination of justice and mercy. In this way, he learned his lesson and I learned my lesson too. He did not lose his job nor did I lose a serving one. Despite the enemy's attack, the Lord graced us through this tough time. Here the balancing factor is "mercy." Justice and mercy!

God too, in His mercy, has kept me alive till today. If He had to execute only justice, I would have been consumed a long time ago. No man can match His righteousness, much less, me. But His mercy has been renewed morning by morning. To the merciful, God showed His mercy too. The Lord's speaking through His word has been my guiding light as I tread the path He has laid for me.

The ministry of the word that I have been pursuing and enjoying are becoming very subjective as they become practical and real day by day. What a blessing of the ministry of the word, the Lord's up-to-date speaking in His recovery! What the Lord spoke to me personally and what I have been enjoying through the supply of the ministry are going hand in hand. What He speaks to me personally is being confirmed by what He speaks generally to the churches. This particular experience I have been experiencing these days is proof of the Lord's leading, "You would execute justice and love mercy."