Paul in the Bible deserved no mercy as he was persecuting and killing Christians, yet Jesus called him after he rose and ascended to heaven and gave him grace. He was the worst.
I have done some awful things and deserved no mercy, yet God gave me grace and forgave me. Therefore I can forgive the repentant.
When my Grama was two weeks shy of her 88th birthday, she lived alone (shortly before a dementia diagnosis) a drunk man broke in to her house and spent the night beating her up and raping her. At his sentencing friends and family were there and everyone else told him and the judge he should rot in hell and be put away for the rest of his life. He had just given what seemed a very sincere apology and begged forgiveness. (Grama wouldn’t go out of fear he’d hurt her again) I told him that would take time but I promised to be praying for him that he would come out of prison a changed man and I kept my promise.
Paul in the Bible deserved no mercy as he was persecuting and killing Christians, yet Jesus called him after he rose and ascended to heaven and gave him grace. He was the worst. I have done some awful things and deserved no mercy, yet God gave me grace and forgave me. Therefore I can forgive the repentant. When my Grama was two weeks shy of her 88th birthday, she lived alone (shortly before a dementia diagnosis) a drunk man broke in to her house and spent the night beating her up and raping her. At his sentencing friends and family were there and everyone else told him and the judge he should rot in hell and be put away for the rest of his life. He had just given what seemed a very sincere apology and begged forgiveness. (Grama wouldn’t go out of fear he’d hurt her again) I told him that would take time but I promised to be praying for him that he would come out of prison a changed man and I kept my promise.
Mercy cannot rob justice - but they can certainly compromise.