Not so fair after all

Justice. Such an interesting term. We Christians use it a lot. We refer to our God as a just God. We explain that hell exists because of His justice.

I once heard a good man expostulate Micah 6:8. He said that we are supposed to love mercy, that is, give mercy wherever possible. But our own actions are to be just. It's a lot easier to demand justice from others. He advised that we ought to instead demand justice from ourselves first. Give mercy to everyone else.

Then I read a verse that has been surprisingly quiet in most Christian literature and sermons (completely absent from any marriage counseling I have ever heard save for LifePartners). This is how The Message paraphrases 1 Peter 2:18-20,

"There's no particular virtue in accepting punishment that you well deserve. But if you're treated badly for good behavior and continue in spite of it to be a good servant, that is what counts with God."

What? Are you serious? I have a hard enough time accepting punishment for what I deserve. I can't imagine doing the same when I am unjustly accused.

Reading this this morning made me think that God has a very different view of justice then I thought. And it's not just a New Testament concept. Joseph was constantly wrongly accused and punished--to his credit he accepted both many times over without complaint. Daniel--the man had never sinned!--went without argue to the lion's den. It's almost as if God is really saying, "You don't live here! Let them behave as they will. You serve Me and I do not disappoint."

Like with this recent presidential election, the question arises, whom do we really serve? Do we serve a God we can trust even in uncomfortable situations? Is our God able to allow us unjust treatment as part of His perfect will? And more personally, what kind of Christ-follower am I? Can I dish out mercy even while being unjustly accused? Sounds a whole lot like a Christ-likeness I have often said I wanted to strive for. Will my actions match my words?

I know at times my husband has accepted unjust treatment from me. I don't mean unjust in that I didn't do his laundry or my strand of pearls broke while I made dinner. I mean in my open and honest witch-like state. I scream sometimes. I have been known to break a thing or two. When he extends mercy to me in these situations and abandons justice for my sake, I get the privilege of seeing Jesus in my house. He has the right to demand better from me. He has the right to demand "respect." He sacrifices his right, though, and pours mercy over me. This is the kind of Christ-likeness the world is dying for. It is humbling, overwhelmingly peaceful and breathes life into my very bones.

It's one thing to accept injustice. It's quite another to receive unjust treatment and respond with mercy. That behavior spells L-O-V-E.

That's the kind of Christian I want to be.