I Fall Forward because Mercy Triumphs

There’s a verse in the book of James that says, “Mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13). Every time I read it, I’m reminded of the incredible mercy Jesus showed to us — the mercy that changed everything. He didn’t just forgive our sins in a moment; He forgave them for all time. His sacrifice on the cross was the ultimate act of mercy — not only covering our past, but securing our future in His grace. Because of that mercy, even when I fall, I know His forgiveness is already waiting for me. It doesn’t push me away in shame; it pulls me closer. His mercy gives me the confidence to run to Him, not from Him.

And that changes the way I see others too. If Jesus could show that kind of mercy toward me — complete, undeserved, and unconditional — how can I withhold mercy from someone else? It’s so easy to judge, to measure people by their mistakes or by what we think they deserve. But mercy reminds us that none of us stand where we do because we earned it. We are here because grace met us where judgment should have fallen.

When Jesus walked this earth, He never turned away the broken, the outcast, or the sinner. Instead of condemning, He restored. Instead of shaming, He lifted up. His mercy was not passive — it was powerful. It transformed lives. Every act of compassion Jesus showed was a reflection of the Father’s heart: mercy triumphing over judgment.

This verse also reminds me of another one: “Though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again” (Proverbs 24:16). That’s what grace looks like — not a license to fall, but the strength to rise. God’s grace doesn’t erase our humanity; it redeems it. It allows us to fall forward, not backward. Each stumble becomes an opportunity to encounter His mercy again.

And the truth is, even those of us who boldly declare, “God is good,” have only tasted a fraction of that goodness. His mercy is deeper, His grace is wider, and His love is far greater than we can ever comprehend. His goodness doesn’t just meet us at our best moments — it meets us right in the middle of our mess.

So today, let’s allow this truth to change how we see both God and others.
If mercy triumphs over judgment in His heart, let it triumph in ours too.
If His grace keeps lifting us every time we fall, then may we also be the kind of people who help others rise again.

Because the more we understand His mercy, the less room there is for judgment.
And the more we see His goodness, the more we realize — we’ve barely begun to grasp just how good He really is.