Just Merciful Humble

Happy Wednesday, Everyone. 😊 When I first read these words, they could be a prophecy of Jesus. In fact, they are not, but are a true description of His character and His life.

Truly, we are to model our lives after the life of Jesus. These words – just, merciful, humble – can be a bit confusing. Our modern society has led us to some different meanings or interpretations. So …. Let’s take a look at each one individually and how Jesus lived into each of these character traits.

Our God is a just God. Thus, the need for Hell. Our sin separates us from our Creator God and the punishment for that is eternal damnation. But … enter Jesus, who took the sins of the entire world on Himself and redeemed us. The catch – we have to believe that Jesus is indeed the Savior of the world. And Jesus – think about when He cleansed the Temple because of the price gouging that was going on. That is Jesus being just. There needs to be a punishment for sin or where’s the need for a savior?

We hear a lot about God’s justice in the Old Testament, which leads some to believe that God’s wrath is a characteristic of that time. But God’s justice is borne of Love. Just like parents exercise justice when disciplining their children, God does the same thing.

Then there’s mercy. God showed the ultimate mercy when Jesus died on the cross for our sins. He is merciful and when we repent and ask for forgiveness for the sins we have committed, we are, indeed, forgiven. How many people can you think of off the top of your head in Scripture who received mercy from Jesus? There are a LOT – and that’s in addition to all the acts of mercy God did in the Old Testament.

Humility can be a tough one. We sometimes think that people who are humble are weak and powerless. But, that’s not accurate. In my mind, humility is acknowledging the gifts that God has given us, using them to accomplish His Purpose, and then giving Him all the credit. Jesus always gave God the glory. He was humble and possessed great gifts and great power. But He never lorded it over anyone. Jesus was a true picture of humility. 

So what does all this mean for us in the 21^st Century. Well, we are to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. We are to be just and merciful in our dealings with others. That means no special treatment (good or not so good) because of someone’s status, ethnicity, faith, etc. It means that we are to show mercy to all – that’s what God does for us through the Blood of Jesus and we are to reflect that back. So if someone wrongs us and asks for forgiveness, we are to forgive, just as we have been forgiven. 

And humility … something that sometimes seems to be in short supply these days. What that means for me is acknowledging the gifts that God has given me in writing, speaking, photographing, and preaching. Then using those gifts to further His Kingdom as He calls me to do in each area of giftedness. Finally, it is giving Him the credit for all that I do that is good. Without God, I cannot do anything good. It is only through His gifting and His leading that I am able to accomplish all that He has called me to do.

I pray that we would all live with justice, mercy, and humility in mind as we seek to live into the role model that Jesus is and was.

Blessings and Love, 😊 Ceri