MERCY AND TRUTH – Proverbs 20:28
Proverbs 20:28 Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy
You may not be a king ruling a county. You may not be an elected leader. You may not be a CEO of a fortune 500 company. Nonetheless, at some time in your life, whether now or in the future, you will be in a position of authority over someone else. When you are in a position of authority, you are responsible to God for how you direct those who are under you.
Have you ever been under someone who you believe was abusing their authority? They knew that they were right and that they would not even listen to you but simply told you to do your job their way or else. This is not the way that God rules over us and it is not the way that you should direct those who are under you.
We understand the truth of God. God made a perfect world and when Adam and Eve determined in their heart that they were going to sin against God, God was quick to render judgment. God punished Adam by requiring that he now work in order to support his family. God punished Eve by making child-birth a painful process. God also removed Adam and Eve from the Garden. This is the truth of God. Adam and Eve rejected the truth and they suffered the consequences.
However, from the same story we also see the mercy of God. God had created a perfect world, HE could have instantly killed Adam and Eve and started all over. However, instead, God gave mankind a second chance. While they were no longer able to live forever, God now made it so that the body of man would slowly deteriorate and die. In addition, God demonstrated HIS mercy to Adam and Eve in that he made them cloths so that they were not naked.
Throughout scriptures we see the mercy of God. We see the mercy of God shown to Cain after he killed his brother. We see the mercy of God to Noah in that HE spared them from the flood. We see the mercy of God at the tower of Babel in that God changed the languages but did not destroy mankind. However, the biggest example of the mercy of God occurs when HE made the ultimate sacrifice by sending HIS only Son to come to earth and die so that you and I might once again have renewed fellowship with HIM.
You must remember that by demonstrating HIS mercy, God has not overridden the truth. In order to receive the mercy of God through Jesus Christ, you must forsake your old ways and accept the gift of Salvation. God is still going to judge you for your actions, words, and thoughts, but by the mercy of God, the blood of Jesus will take your sins and wash them whiter than snow.
When you are in a position of leadership, you need to be a man or woman of your word. This means that people understand that when you say something, you mean it. You need to establish clear boundaries so that those under you know what is expected of them. However, you also need to show mercy. You need to be kind to those under you and you need to cause them to feel comfortable being around you. Be merciful when others make mistakes, remember, you were in their position once before, and remember how you wanted to be treated by your superiors.
Whether you are a leader or one under authority, God has a plan for how you are to respond to those around you. However, in order to understand what God desires you to do, you need to take the time to add knowledge of the ways of God. The more time you spend understanding what God would have you to do, the easier it will be for stay in the perfect will of God. The mercy of God is wonderful, but it is always best to limit your need for HIS mercy.