Reflection Paper : Mercy And Wisdom

Our God is loving, kind and merciful, but there is another side to His personality, the side that defends and fights for His people. Paul declares we must know the “goodness and severity of God.” To understand the full character of God we must read the entire Bible. God is a lover of His creation and He is a warrior who fights for those whom He loves. The author makes an excellent point that since we are made in His image we must take on every aspect of the character

Who is God? What are his characteristics? I believe that God is the person who created me and he is the person I believe in. I also think that God is the creator of the world and that has control over everything that happens in my life. I think that some of God’s characteristics are that he has the

It is seen as very honorable to give someone who asks mercy but I don’t see too much honor shown in our world today.

In the Republic, Socrates starts the discussion with the definition of justice. When Thrasymachus angrily interrupts and gives his own definition, he in fact takes an opposite view on justice and argues that injustice is more advantageous and profitable. Glaucon and Adiemantus further develop Thrasymachus’ view with a theory of the nature and the origins of justice and claim that justice is desired only for the sake of rewards. In Amazing Grace, injustice happens every day at every corner of Mott Haven, yet there are still a lot of citizens trying to lead a just life. In the conflict between the authorities and the Mott Haven citizens, the ceaseless injustice in Mott Haven, and some people’s just acts, Thrasymachan view of justice is reflected.

There are always two sides to an argument, but different people have different opinions on which side is right and wrong; as a result, we can compare a debate or argument as of a coin, due to the fact that it has two sides. When it comes to the topic of judicial system in America, most of us will readily agree that it needs to be reformed. Where this agreement usually ends, however, is on the question of who will step forward and make changes to the court system. Whereas some are convinced that no one is going to do anything about it, others maintain that the government will be the savior by making the changes. In the introduction of Just Mercy: A Story of Justice And Redemption, by Bryan Stevenson -an American lawyer, social justice activist, founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, and a clinical professor at New York University School of Law- Stevenson emphasizes that people are not being treated fairly in the judicial system of America. The book was written to give readers a close up look on mass incarceration and extreme punishment given in America. Convincing the readers is not easy, except if the author uses strategic techniques such as ethos, pathos, and logos. It is even more tough if the topic is sensitive and debatable as this one. Stevenson used these three techniques in a variety of different ways to convince the readers.

“A little bit of mercy makes the world less cold and more just.” said Pope Francis of the Roman Catholic church. Mercy is something that is represented in parts of stories like The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, To Kill a Mockingbird, and The Merchant of Venice. It is also represented throughout history in times like the Holocaust. Mercy can be stronger and more powerful than a weapon if used with purpose and used at the right moment.

What does it mean to have wisdom? Some may say to be wise is to have enough knowledge and good judgment to make well thought out life decisions. Wisdom is a common term mentioned throughout out the New Testament Epistles and the entire Bible. The Bible has a lot to say about wisdom and knowledge. It talks about ways to be wise and ways to be foolish. Through out the Bible there seems to be different types of wisdom and it is described in different ways. Analyzing all types of wisdom and knowledge will help us decide what the Bible means to be wise.

It is no secret that the United States of America has a problem with civil unrest, as that was essentially what the country was founded upon. As a sophisticated young individual living in modern times, one can see how the naïve public thought that the problems of the past would stay in the past. The only difference is the groups represented in each party. Police, skepticism, and fear are all still prevalent factors in today’s society, just the people being oppressed are not colonists, but minorities living fairly in this country. I personally feel disgusted by the fact that individuals have to live their lives consistently looking behind their backs, but I’m not the only one. Ross Gay, an African-American professor at Indiana University and author of “Some Thoughts on Mercy”, knows firsthand this feeling of paranoia and a mistrust in law enforcement. After reading his article “Some Thoughts on Mercy”, I really do believe it boils down to one simple message. Growing skepticism and fear of the presence of an ever-looming police force is directly affecting the psychological and physical health of minorities who are unjustly racially profiled by law enforcement. Ross Gay conveys this through his own personal accounts, and encounters with law enforcement. Sadly, this is a prevalent issue in the United States, one that should not be overlooked.

God is the sovereign Creator of our world. He has many characteristics and attributes; He is loving, just, holy, faithful, unchanging, and all-powerful. Romans 1:20 reads, “For his invisible attributes, namely his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” is the fifth beatitude that Jesus had said on the Mount. This Beatitude means to show forgiveness to those who have wronged you and to always be compassionate and sympathetic towards them. The idea of being merciful means to give up seeking revenge to those who have hurt them and follow Jesus’ ways of turning the other cheek. This Beatitude can be applied to my own life in many situations, situations in which I have been able to love someone unconditionally despite the fact that they’ve betrayed me. A situation I’ve experienced betrayal was when my friend had gone behind my back spreading personal things that I had confided in her to keep private, but instead she had spread it like wild fire. As a result, I did not think of revenge as a “Plan A,” I didn’t want anger to rule my

The unmerited favor of God expressed unto those who did nothing of their own power to earn this gift. Because of Christ Jesus obedience unto the death of the cross, the grace of God is given unto us through justification by faith unto righteous, when one truly repents for their sins, (Romans 5:17-19).

But God restored us to himself through his love and mercy and saved us with his grace (v. 4-7).

The Greek word, eleos, best translates into “mercy and compassion”. It is significant that eleos appears six times in Gospel of Luke, also known as, the “Gospel of Mercy”. Compassion is a powerful awareness of concern for other’s suffering and feeling sympathy. While mercy is the exercised virtue of forgiving, founded on compassion. Simply, mercy is putting the emotional connection of sympathy or pity of others into action. These Catholic virtues are especially highlighted within the Catholic Church’s current teaching amid our 2016 Jubilee Year of Mercy (8th December 2015 to 20th November 2016). Pope Francis calls Catholic all over the world to bring Jesus’ mission here on Earth.

Vast, all-knowing, creator, so much more. How do you define your God? The Father is so much more than human kind can grasp, therefor, being nearly impossible to fully define without using opinion and imagination. The knowledge of God is the largest piece of shared information among humans throughout time and space. I will explore my personal thoughts of God, humanity and Jesus, as well as reflect on Christian worldview.

Christian Tradition course exposed me to the Christian Tradition based on Biblical and church history. The course taught me the differences and similarities of Christian Tradition from other major world religions. I learned about the significance of God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and the Trinity based on the teachings of the Bible. The course also briefly covered 2,000 years of church history but with emphasis on the impact of the Council of Nicea, Council of Chalcedon, and John and Charles Wesley on Christianity. The professor emphasized the importance of the reformation that sparked a revolution in the church.