Mar 10 - Friday
Ezekiel 18:21-28The way of the Lord is unfair! (Ezekiel 18:25)
We may feel the same protest rising up in our own hearts—perhaps when a notorious sinner converts at the end of his life, or when those who are obviously in the wrong somehow avoid punishment. It can make us wonder why we try so hard when we don’t seem to get the same good breaks.
Or again, we may repeat that complaining thought when Jesus tells us that anger makes us liable to judgment, not just going so far as murder. Instead of making things easier for us, he sets the standard even higher. What are we supposed to do? Doesn’t Jesus know how hard things are already?
Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our human ideas of justice and equity that we can’t see the logic of divine mercy. We grit our teeth and try to be good, and then we are tempted to complain when those we don’t judge to be good enter God’s kingdom. We complain when it seems we just can’t reach the standard of perfection that Jesus expects. But this attitude blocks our view of a fundamental truth: Each person—including you and me—needs God’s mercy to reach heaven.
Thank God that he isn’t fair! God offers redemption to anyone who turns from sin and reaches out to him. When we want to point our finger at someone else, we should recall the Psalm: “If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities . . . who could stand?” (Psalm 130:3). Each of us needs God’s mercy just as much as that notorious sinner we look down upon. And it is only by that mercy that we can have any hope at all.
It’s not about rules; it’s about love! When Jesus seems to raise the standard on holiness, it’s not because he wants us to roll up our sleeves and try harder. It’s because he wants us to rely on him even more! He’s not counting how many rules we can uphold. He is looking to see how much we have surrendered to him. Why? Because he knows that the closer we are to him, the less we will want to sin.
“Lord, thank you that you are not fair! Thank you for your mercy—I am totally dependent on it. Change my thinking so that I can follow the logic of divine love!”
posted by Thomas Cagurangan @ 11:28 PM
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