Mercy and Truth

I am thinking about the beautiful picture of God we are given through scripture of His amazing character... only God, it seems, is able to perfectly extend mercy while never compromising truth.  I just did a search at Bible Gateway of the words 'mercy' and 'truth' to see how often the 2 words are paired.  Nearly every reference (23 of them, total) is in the context of describing God.  What a wonderful reminder to those of us who love the hard black and white solidity of truth, that truth alone, is well... cold and hard, at times.  Mercy is necessary... it's the sugar that helps the medicine go down.  And what a wonderful reminder to those who are certain that compassion, grace and mercy are the pinnacle attributes of a godly person.  Mercy without truth becomes enablement; dysfunction, tender comfort for the terminally ill (spiritually speaking) but leaving out the cure. (Cures can be painful, you see... and those gifted with great mercy and grace are reticent to inflict pain of any kind.)

I have a feeling the pairing of the words 'grace' and 'truth' would turn up many such verses too... verses that illuminate what God is like, and Who He is.  The pain He allows needs to be accepted in context with His great mercy and grace... both are necessary for wholeness, deliverance and freedom.  One without the other falls short of the goal, misses the mark.  God's Spirit is hovering over His children seeking to form us more and into Christ likeness.  I need to be more conscious of the fact, and deliberate in adjusting my attitude to the scriptural truth that both are necessary in me, to reflect a complete & accurate likeness.  Lord, may I more and more grow in my ability to shine forth a witness of God's truth and His mercy. 

Psalm 25: ⁹ The humble He guides in justice,
         And the humble He teaches His way.
 ¹⁰ All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth,
         To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.
 ¹¹ For Your name’s sake, O LORD,
         Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.


^John1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

^{John 1:16} And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. ¹⁷ For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.