Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Green: Where Justice and Mercy Meet

A pastor friend announced one day he was offended by God’s justice.  He loved and understood His mercy, but he did not like God’s sense of justice.  Listening to my friend, I realized I was offended not by God’s justice but by His mercy.
I used to exist in the gray areas; I was not given to black and white thinking.  I could see both sides of issues and accept or mete out discipline tempered with grace.  I even tried to explain gray thinking to people for whom the world was black and white.
One day my gray world changed.  A consequence was issued that seemed too full of grace – it appeared wildly unmerited to me.  I understood the reasons, but there was not enough justice.  Most likely I felt this way because I was personally invested in the matter.  I felt betrayed.  Suddenly the gray area faded.  I saw the world as black and white and knew clearly where I stood. 
God has tried to get me to see through His eyes since then.  He’s reminded me He, too, was betrayed.  He’s allowed me to receive mercy.  He’s allowed me to extend mercy.  I’ve witnessed large-scale injustice and large-scale mercy.  He led me to Jonah, holding him as a looking glass in which I might see my reflection.  He’s been gentle and loving and persistent.
My pastor friend recently reminded me we sometimes slip into a slimy pit, and the only way out is with Jesus’ help. When we are in a pit, we, like Peter, after betraying Jesus three times, return to what is familiar.  For Peter the familiar was fishing.  For me, returning to the familiar felt right, justifiable – hey, I needed, no deserved, a rest.  It was okay there with the familiar until I said no to God.  I realized then I was in a pit, a warm, slimy, colorless yet dark pit.
As I contemplated the black and white issue in my life, I felt God inviting me back to the middle ground between mercy and justice.  You see, these areas really aren’t black and white and gray.  They actually have color.  I was seeing mercy as black instead of blue like the coolness of refreshing water.  I was seeing justice as white, glaring and harsh – showing every flaw – instead of yellow, shining softly and warmly like the morning sun – revealing gently but not roughly exposing shortcomings.  God was inviting me to see what happens when blue mercy and yellow injustice meet.  Combined they make green.  The area between mercy and justice isn’t gray, without color.  The area is green, fresh like spring, giving just enough yellow light to expose and just the right amount of blue water to wash away the sin and refresh the soul.  Green, the color of new life, justice mixed with mercy, brings restoration and refreshment.
Are you seeing the world without color in black and white and gray?  Ask God to reveal his world of color to you.  It's beautiful.