He’s a man, think of him as a man, and treat him like a man. Make him stand on his own two feet and take responsibility for his actions, but be fair and don’t show favoritism.”
–W.L. Cox (Hunt–U.S. Marshal)
“Thus says the Lord: ‘In a time of favor I have answered you; in a day of salvation I have helped you; I will keep you and give you as a covenant to the people, to establish the land, to apportion the desolate heritages.'”
–Isaiah 49:8 (ESV)
——————————-
3.3 — Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart,
.4 — And so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man. (NKJV)
For a few minutes let’s look at those terms at the beginning of verse 3 in Proverbs. The NKJV translates it as “mercy and truth.” The KJV is “truth and grace,” while the ESV uses “steadfast love and faithfulness.” The NASB is “kindness and truth” while the NIV is “love and faithfulness.” Interestingly, the CEB, RSV, and HCSB use “loyalty and faithfulness” but the NLT uses “loyalty and kindness” and the CEV translates it “love and loyalty.” Now we should not quibble over this, but instead look at the truth behind the terms. They are all intertwined. I do think it is interesting that some versions use “loyalty” and “faithfulness” and “love.” Now, I would suggest to you that we should be them all together. In doing so we are to reflect them in all our thoughts and actions.
We could argue the difference between such words. J. Vernon McGee relates a story of how a little girl tells the difference between “kindness” and “loving-kindness.” She said if she asks her mother for bread and butter and her mother gives it to her that is kindness. However, if her mother adds jam to it, that then is loving-kindness. Let’s put them all together as the Psalmist suggests, “Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed.” (85:10, NKJV) Francis Taylor suggests that “these graces must be as carefully kept as providently gotten…”
Note, these graces or virtues must be used together. One theologian explains, “In policy, mercy without truth is a sweet shower dropping upon barren sands, quite split, and no blessing following it; truth without mercy is extreme right and extreme injury.” If these virtues are split, not used together, then they will lead to hardness of heart. However, put together and they become ornaments that will bring favor and high esteem.
Think of a judge who lets mercy dominate his decisions and gives no regard to the law. What then is the use of the law? Where is justice? On the other hand, let a judge be known for his hard-hearted decisions using only the law as a guide and never showing mercy then we have extreme legalism and law becomes predominant. If one is dominant over the other, as Francis Taylor points out, “Mercy may lie to do good, and truth may reveal without cause what may do hurt.”
I am reminded of the story of the three servants found in Matthew 25. Two of them were obedient, loyal, and had love and respect for the Master and when he came back he found them to be “good and faithful,” while the other was negligent in his duties and responsibilities. He was then cast away. We see here the above virtues on display. The two servants served God and their fellow man and were rewarded properly. Have you ever thought of what the results would have been if the Master had been overly merciful and allowed the neglectful servant the same reward?
Realize that these should be fixed principles that help guide our lives. Therefore we must give continual regard to God’s Word and receive and retain them. If we practice them throughout our lives we will receive both favor and high esteem from God and man. Let me close with a combining of the Amplified with the Amplified Classic version, “Let not mercy and kindness [shutting out all hatred and selfishness] and truth [shutting out all deliberate hypocrisy or falsehood] forsake you; [instead let these qualities define you]; bind them about your neck, write them upon the tablet of your heart.”