Rensberry.com
I recently finished reading a powerful book called, Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson.
The opposite of poverty is not wealth, the opposite of poverty is justice.
The true measure of our commitment to justice, the character of our society, our commitment to the rule of law, fairness and equality cannot be measured by how we treat the rich, the powerful, the privileged, and the respected among us. The true measure of our character is how we treat the poor, the disfavored, the accused, the incarcerated, and the condemned. We are all implicated when we allow other people to be mistreated.
Absence of compassion can corrupt the decency of a community, a state, a nation.
Embracing our brokenness creates a need and desire for mercy ... and perhaps a corresponding need to show mercy. When you experience mercy, you learn things that are hard to learn otherwise. You see things you can't otherwise see. You hear things you can't otherwise hear. You begin to recognize the humanity that resides in each of us.
Mercy in just when it is rooted in hopefulness and freely given. Mercy is most empowering, liberating, and transformative when it is directed at the undeserving. The people who haven't earned it, haven't sought it, are the most meaningful recipients of our compassion.