Scripture: Zechariah 7:9
This is what the Lord Almighty said: “Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.”

Thought for the Day: I think we tend to think of justice in a sort of comic book haze; a Batman meets Avengers world where evildoers get what they deserve. In the movies, cheap justice means punishment. In the movies justice means lots of things blowing up and the bad guys dying. That’s movie justice. That’s not true justice.

Although there are plenty of biblical stories that evoke that same sense of drama and also seemingly equate justice with violent punishment, the underlying message of Scripture is that true justice means mercy and compassion, not cruel punishment and death. A justice that builds its foundation on God is true justice, because it reflects God’s loving and merciful nature. A justice that builds its foundation on human law is prone to violence and abuse.

Prayer: God of Love, may you fill my heart with compassion and understanding, so that all my decisions, firmly made through your Spirit, may be just and merciful. Amen.