Grace and Mercy
Why is it so hard to give others grace and mercy?
Is it because we haven’t received grace from others around us or it hasn’t been freely given to us when we thought we deserved it? Or maybe it’s because what the world deems worthy of grace and mercy is more valuable than what they are truly worth to God.
Who are we to condemn others, when we ourselves are without sin. Jesus said who ever is without sin, cast the first stone. That moment in the bible always stuck out to me, because a women who was a disgrace to her community was asking for mercy and the one that loved her more than anyone in the whole world stuck up for her and gave her grace.
I can relate to that story because I have fallen short from the glory of God on more than one occasion, I have been condemned and charged, trialed and judged. I have taken someone’s life, even though an accident, it was by my actions and so I am deemed as a monster to some. But God, he saw me worthy of grace and mercy. He saw potential in me and encouraged me to be better. He also put it on the hearts of people around me, true followers of him to guide me in the right direction.
That is rehabilitation at its finest. It’s a beautiful thing when people are actually given a chance at life, to be better, do better, live better and inspire others. Imagine how much better the world could be if we looked at each other and instead of holding up our stones ready to throw them, we dropped them at the feet of Jesus and walked with our brothers and sisters through the rough road out of sin.
That kind of love can change anyone. It changed me, it changed my heart. It made me wake up and realize what the enemies schemes were to ruin my life, it gave me courage and the confidence to walk with Christ. So imagine how much that could change any one of the inmates on death row. I’m sorry, but as someone who is pro life, I mean that in all the ways the phrase is written. One wrong doesn’t make a right, and as someone who has changed and was given the chance to come out of that system, I’m here to tell you that my heart follows Jesus and there for I can not be ok with judging anyone to death.
This is not our right, it is Gods and Gods alone. Even if we don’t agree with the sins someone has committed, we cannot judge them, put them down and belittle them. Yes the families of the victims matter, the loss they bear is absolutely devastating, but taking another life to make up for the one loss doesn’t justify anything. So, with that being said, my heart is broken over our justice system and the people who mock the accusers. We are not meant to be so cruel, we are meant to love one another, have grace and mercy, and we are meant to encourage each other to be better people.
Prayers for the souls lost through these decisions, prayers that God saves us all from damnation.
