Fix Your Mind – Whatever is Just/Righteous (Part 3)
October 30, 2023
“Just” is not a word I use very much. I think about doing the right thing, but I never think about doing the just thing. But doing the just thing and doing the right thing are interchangeable. The word just has several meanings, but in Philippians 4:8, just means doing the morally correct thing.
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (KJV)
In this Fix Your Mind series, we are examining what things we are to meditate on to avoid worry and maintain our peace. Ever notice that doing the right thing brings its own peace? It may not be the easy way, but it is the peaceful way. Having a clear conscience before I go to bed helps me sleep. Throughout the Bible, the constant message from God is that His followers will do the just or right thing. Here is an example from the prophet Micah 6:8.
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, and to love kindness and mercy, and to humble yourself and walk humbly with your God? (AMPC)
Proverbs 21:15
When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous (the upright, the one in right standing with God), But to the evildoers it (justice) is disaster. (AMP)
Our God wants us to emulate Him. He is a just God (Deuteronomy 32:4) and He wants us to do the just or morally correct thing. But even beyond doing the just or right thing, our God is also interested in mercy. Mercy is compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish. Does this seem like the direct opposite of justice? And yet:
Psalm 135:14
For the Lord will give justice to his people and have compassion on his servants. (NLT)
Isaiah 51:4-5
4 Listen to Me [the Lord], O My people, and give ear to Me, O My nation; for a [divine] law will go forth from Me, and I will establish My justice for a light to the peoples. 5 My rightness and justice are near, My salvation is going forth, and My arms shall rule the peoples; the islands shall wait for and expect Me, and on My arm shall they trust and wait with hope. (AMPC)
The justice and mercy connection is tricky for me as a mom. I know that sometimes tough love is needed. To raise responsible adults, there must be consequences for actions that are out of bounds. Justice must be done. But my compassionate momma heart wants mercy to rule the day. Our God practices and requires of us to do justly, and to love kindness and mercy. To do both seemingly opposite things at the same time, He implemented a genius plan. That plan was Jesus. When we accepted Jesus as our Savior, Jesus takes the just consequences for our sins and mistakes. He fulfilled the need for justice and that frees up the Father to offer mercy whenever we ask for it, even before we ask for it! Fix your mind on that!