Justice and Mercy

I read a story today about a woman who was chased and attacked outside her home by a masked man. The woman's husband heard her screams and grabbed his handgun. The intruder was shot and died at the scene.

In reading this account, I experienced mixed feelings. On one hand, I felt comforted knowing that the innocent woman was saved from a violent evil act. Justice was done. But strangely, I also felt compasssion for the attacker had come to the point in his life where he believed attacking an innocent woman was a good thing to do. Sin had so controlled a man's life that it ended in death.

God is often described as infinitely just and infinitely merciful (especially regarding babies who die). In my finite mind, it is difficult for me to reconcile justice and mercy - I can only imagine how God balances them.