M is for Mercy

Mercy is God not giving us the punishment that we deserve for our sins.

"Justice is for those who deserve it; mercy is for those who don’t."
Woodrow Kroll

The LORD your God is a merciful God. He will not abandon you, destroy you, or forget the promise to your ancestors that he swore he would keep.
Deuteronomy 4:31

J is for Justice

I don't need to add any observations. :)

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
Micah 6:8 (NIV)

Walking Humbly

Micah 6:8 (NIV)
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.

'Nuff said. :)

A Shadowy Flight

"Knight Rider: a shadowy flight into the dangerous world of a man who does not exist. Michael Knight, a young loner on a crusade to champion the cause of the innocent, the helpless, the powerless in a world of criminals who operate above the law." 
I've been unwinding in the evenings by reviewing some of the classic episodes of 'Knight Rider', a particular TV favourite of mine from the Eighties.  However, I find myself  looking at the show with slightly different eyes now...

The series now seems to be a very idealised vision of a modern-day knight. Liberated from his past, Michael is given a new identity, a second chance as he is 'born again' (he even gets a new face!), Michael is also given the necessary tools to right wrongs, setting off on a lone crusade to 'make a difference' in the world. Oh boy, even years on that still appeals to me. I really identify with the concept that 'one man can make a difference'...

However, with repeated viewing I also note that:

• Pretty much nothing is ever said about Michael's family, his past life. Lone, I understand. Lonely, no thank you.
• Technology always works in this series. His sidekick in the show is KITT (the Knight Industries Two Thousand, a virtually indestructible car with an artificial intelligence), who regularly saves his life week after week. Unfortunately, not so in the real world! I can't even rely on my mobile phone to keep my ringtone settings from one week to another, let alone trust it to keep me safe from criminals! 
• In the show, Michael works for the Foundation for Law and Government (FLAG) - an independent non-government agency dedicated to the pursuit of justice, privately funded by billionaire Wilton Knight. Michael and KITT are brought in during situations where "direct action might provide the only feasible solution". Er... does that make him a vigilante and therefore operating 'above the law' as much as the criminals he's trying to catch?

It's still a great show, though...

Spreading The Good News

"Don’t just talk, update your social media, preach from pulpits, or rant from soapboxes.

Love your neighbours. Be peacemakers. Seek justice. Engage the culture. Live out the Gospel."

 - Eugene Cho