Walking Between Mercy and Karma’s Law

 

In the spiritual journey of life, every human being walks between two eternal pillars – Mercy and Severity. One stands for divine forgiveness, the other for divine justice. Together, they shape our destiny and reveal the mystery of how God’s grace and the law of cause and effect (what many call Karma) work in harmony.

The Pillar of Mercy represents God’s compassion, His willingness to forgive our wrongdoings and offer us another chance. The Pillar of Severity, on the other hand, symbolises the law of moral consequence: “For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7). Between these two pillars, man’s soul learns balance – mercy softening justice, and justice keeping mercy from indulgence.

To live rightly, one must understand both. Forgiveness without accountability weakens the soul, while judgment without compassion hardens the heart. The journey to the crown, eternal life and divine perfection, demands that we walk uprightly between these sacred truths.

The Pillar of Mercy: God’s Endless Forgiveness

The pillar of mercy stands as a reminder of God’s unfathomable love. The psalmist declared, “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy” (Psalm 103:8). Mercy means more than pardon; it is the healing grace that restores the fallen, uplifts the contrite, and gives hope to the lost.

When we err, the voice of severity declares, “You must reap what you sow.” But mercy intercedes, whispering, “Repent, and you shall be forgiven.” Through Christ, mercy triumphed over judgment, offering humanity redemption. “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:17).

Yet mercy is not a free license to sin. True mercy transforms. The one who has been forgiven must in turn forgive others. Jesus taught, “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7). Each act of forgiveness we extend builds within us the likeness of God.

To live under the pillar of mercy is to walk in love, to let go of resentment, and to forgive even those who seem undeserving. This does not erase accountability but ensures that love, not vengeance, governs our response. Mercy cleanses the heart and frees the soul from bitterness (the very chains that keep us from ascending to the divine crown).

The Pillar of Severity: The Law of Karma

Opposite the pillar of mercy stands the pillar of severity; the eternal law of consequence. Scripture declares plainly, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7).

This is the divine law that ensures justice in the universe. Every thought, word, and deed produces fruit, good or bad, according to its nature. When we sow kindness, we harvest peace; when we sow hatred, we reap unrest.

Many call this Karma; the Bible calls it divine justice. The prophet Hosea warned, “For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind” (Hosea 8:7). Life, therefore, is a field, and every human being is both farmer and reaper.

Severity is not cruelty. It is correction. Just as a loving parent disciplines a child for his good, God allows us to face the results of our actions so that we may learn righteousness. “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth” (Hebrews 12:6).

The pillar of severity teaches personal responsibility. It reminds us that grace does not cancel accountability. Even when forgiven, we may still face the natural results of our deeds, not as punishment, but as instruction. Through these lessons, the soul matures and learns the wisdom of right living.

The Balance: Mercy Tempers Justice

Life’s spiritual path demands balance between these two pillars. If we lean too much toward severity, we become judgmental and unyielding. If we lean only toward mercy, we become careless and permissive. The righteous man stands in the middle – humble before God’s mercy, yet mindful of divine law.

The Prophet Micah captured this perfect balance when he wrote: “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” (Micah 6:8).

Doing justly reflects the pillar of severity: – that is the commitment to fairness and truth. Loving mercy reflects the pillar of compassion – the readiness to forgive. And walking humbly reflects the awareness that we depend entirely on divine grace.

The wise soul therefore acts with kindness but also integrity; forgives others but learns from experience; prays for mercy but sows good seeds. Such a person understands that spiritual growth comes not from escaping justice, but from allowing mercy to guide one’s response to it.

The Physical and Spiritual Journey

Physically, man must live with discipline – honest in work, pure in speech, fair in dealings. The body, being the instrument of action, must serve righteousness. “Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Galatians 6:9). Every act of goodness adds a stone to the bridge that leads to divine reward.

Spiritually, man must cultivate forgiveness, compassion, and humility. The inner attitude determines the outer outcome. Anger, envy, and pride sow seeds of discord, while faith, patience, and love sow peace. As Jesus taught, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8).

Thus, the journey of life is both physical and spiritual: the visible and invisible paths converging toward the same goal – the crown of righteousness.

The Crown: Reward of the Balanced Soul

To “merit the crown” is to achieve inner victory. Thus mastery over self, harmony with divine law, and oneness with God. The Apostle Paul declared, “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day” (2 Timothy 4:8).

This crown is not given to those who only seek mercy without accountability, nor to those who demand justice without love. It is reserved for those who, walking between mercy and severity, have allowed both to purify their souls.

The man who forgives when wronged yet takes responsibility for his actions, who shows compassion yet upholds truth, who prays for mercy yet labours in righteousness. Such a man walks the royal path.

In him, mercy and severity are not enemies but allies. Mercy cleanses the heart; severity strengthens the will. Together, they make him fit for the eternal reward – the crown of life promised to those who overcome.

Conclusion: Living Between the Two Pillars

In the end, the pillars of mercy and severity are not opposing forces but divine instruments shaping the soul’s ascent. Mercy invites us to forgive and be forgiven; severity reminds us that our deeds have consequence.

To walk rightly between them is to live as Christ lived: firm in righteousness, gentle in compassion, and faithful unto the end. For only then shall we hear the words that echo through eternity: “Well done, good and faithful servant… enter thou into the joy of thy Lord” (Matthew 25:21).

Let every man, therefore, sow good seed in the field of life, water it with mercy, and harvest it in righteousness. For as sure as we reap what we sow, so too will those who walk in love and truth wear the everlasting crown of divine justice and grace.

By Adelina Fosua Adu

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