When I was teaching, I constantly taught my students to always consider mercy and judgment in dealing with each other. Why, because we (myself included) constantly make mistakes. We each played a role in how the lack of classroom behavior rules affected us all. I could not accomplish my job as required, and they could not focus as needed to learn with all of the distractions.

The way we accomplished this was to go over the school rules from day one. These rules were discussed in detail and a discipline test was given. Each student had to acquire a 100% score. Both verbally and in writing. This took care of those who may have had reading deficits, language issues, and different parenting.  

Each morning we looked at the rules on the wall and repeated them out loud. Despite doing this there were still infractions.  Why, because of the feeling that the rules did not apply because of certain circumstance that someone felt that it was justified. They included the following statements.

It was not my fault. They did it to me first. I did not think about that. I did not feel good. You did not see what they did to me. The rules are too strict. Can I have another chance. I don’t care. I am going to tell my mother. All but the last one sounds like the same excuses adults make. Except “I am going to call my attorney.”

Except for fighting, or other altercations that the school district determined to be out of the teacher’s control, we might have a discussion to determine what the consequences should be. I would ask each student what they thought the consequence should be. Each would suggest swift punishment for the infraction.

I would then discuss with them the fact that when the next person was found to have done the same thing, I would have no choice but to give them the same consequence. To my expectation each student would lament how unfair the sentence seemed to them—despite having deemed it appropriate when it was intended for the other.

They were showing the kind of judgment without mercy that God warns against.  James reminds us that instead of showing favoritism to the wealthy/others, or even to one’s self, God desires that we love others as we love ourselves. Instead of using others for selfish gain, or disregarding anyone whose position that does not benefit us.

James instructs us to act as people who know how much we’ve been given and forgiven— and extend that mercy to others. Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be sown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment (James 2:13).