What does the LORD require of you, but to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8).

Why doesn’t Micah 6:8 instruct us to do mercy (act mercifully), just as it tells us to do justice (act justly)?  Why are we to love mercy?

We’re taking Micah’s three verbs in reverse order.  Last week we looked at the third, walk humbly with your God.  This week we’ll be exploring the middle verb, love mercy.  We’ll do so by looking at Jesus extending mercy, in the form of healing, to a sick woman and a dying girl (Mark 5:21-43).

Mercy and justice are often paired in Scripture.  They might even be twin sisters, just not identical twins!  Neither can be itself by itself; they work in concert.

We often portray Justice as a blindfolded woman, holding a sword in one hand, balance scales in the other.  She is blindfolded because she must be impartial, not a “respecter of persons,” as she weighs the evidence and applies the sword of the law impartially.

We don’t have a similarly familiar portrayal of Mercy, do we?  But she wouldn’t wear a blindfold, because mercy looks at suffering full on, and steps into the mess and misery.  So no blindfold for Mercy, and she carries different tools in her hands.

Justice must be done; mercy must be loved, must be an expression of love.  Justice requires doing what needs to be done; mercy requires doing what does not have to be done.  Justice must enforce the law; mercy cannot be enforced or compelled, only freely given.

Mercy is a word of strength.  When I appeal for mercy, I appeal to one who has the power to intervene and spare me from some terrible circumstance, a circumstance from which I cannot rescue myself.  When I extend mercy, I use my resources, whatever “powers” I may have, to relieve, as best I can, the suffering of another.

We follow Jesus this week into a story of his incredible mercy towards two sick women.  Pay attention to Jesus: what is he noticing, responding to?  What does he ignore, or “tune out”?  What cost is he willing to pay, what burdens to either help carry or relieve?

We must love mercy because mercy must be chosen.  Mercy cannot be legislated, cannot be mere “duty.”  Mercy can take many forms, because the merciful are each unique human beings.  But all the forms of mercy will all have the look and feel of self-giving love.

Recall a time when you have been shown mercy.  What did it “cost” the other to give mercy to you?

Recall a time when you extended mercy.  What did that cost you?