Years ago, I had a productive argument with my best friend. She asked me for my preference between justice and mercy. I chose mercy over justice. While she preferred justice over mercy.
She then pointed out to me: What would happen if criminals wouldn’t be convicted, instead, they’d be forgiven? That would be a bad case, I conceded with her.
In the course of our exchange of views, we arrived at a story of a mother whose son faced a pending punishment due to a robbery case charged against him. The son must deal with the disciplinary action. The mother, however, appealed to the person to whom her son committed the crime. She pleaded that her son would be forgiven. What her son did was unacceptable. But as a mother, she loved him unconditionally and also suffered the way her son did. Thus, she asked that her son might be given a chance for a new life.
In this scenario, I told my friend that mercy could work wonders in this son’s life. On the contrary, she insisted that the son must face the punishment due to him that he might learn his lessons well.
Could justice save our world? I know that laws are needed and meant to carry justice. When justice is not pushed through, many people would relentlessly commit all kinds of crimes. But then we also need mercy, forgiveness, and love. In some cases, the value of mercy may apply best than pursue justice.
All cultures and beliefs have laws to be followed to ensure self-preservation. But then we must not underestimate the power of mercy, and traces of love. As far as I know, love is the only weapon that melts the hardest of hearts and disarms the heavily guarded individual.
So the next time we were to choose between justice and mercy, may we choose the best part.
Purposive Writer 