Old Testament
Proverbs 16:6-9
6 By mercy and truth iniquity is atoned for. By the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.
7 When a man’s ways please the LORD, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
8 Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues with injustice.
9 A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD directs his steps.
New Testament
Luke 6:20-36
20 He lifted up his eyes to his disciples, and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for God’s Kingdom is yours.
21 Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
22 Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude and mock you, and throw out your name as evil, for the Son of Man’s sake.
23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven, for their fathers did the same thing to the prophets.
24 “But woe to you who are rich! For you have received your consolation.
25 Woe to you, you who are full now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.
26 Woe, when men speak well of you, for their fathers did the same thing to the false prophets.
27 “But I tell you who hear: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you.
29 To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer also the other; and from him who takes away your cloak, don’t withhold your coat also.
30 Give to everyone who asks you, and don’t ask him who takes away your goods to give them back again.
31 “As you would like people to do to you, do exactly so to them.
32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
33 If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
34 If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive back as much.
35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind towards the unthankful and evil.
36 “Therefore be merciful, even as your Father is also merciful.
Proverbs tells the truth about plans. We make them, we chart routes, we set intentions, and yet “the Lord directs his steps.” It urges loyalty, faithfulness, and the fear of the Lord as paths that turn us away from evil. Wisdom, here, is not cleverness; it is moral orientation.
Peacemaking and restorative justice are difficult because they ask for truth and restraint at once. They refuse denial, and they refuse revenge. They require accountability that does not become humiliation, and mercy that does not become permissiveness.
Then Luke gives us Jesus’ hard mercy: blessings for the poor, warnings for the comfortable, love for enemies, good done to those who hate, mercy offered without calculation. This is not weakness. It is the strength of a kingdom that refuses to answer harm with more harm. It teaches us to bless rather than curse, and to refuse scorekeeping.
Lord, teach us the courage of peace. Give wisdom to those who must respond to wrongdoing: to protect, to investigate, to restrain, to repair. Where conflict has hardened into hatred, make room for repentance. And make your people steady in mercy, so that even in a fractured public life, we learn to pursue what heals rather than what escalates.