Balance of Justice and Mercy?

Balance between justice and mercy? I've been asked to share some thoughts about this dilemma that we are often confronted with. We all want balance in life. To be extreme at one end of the spectrum or the other is not healthy. When it comes to justice and mercy, we like there to be a balance. We are afraid of too much love because that could lead to promiscuity. We shrink from too much justice because the law doesn't care. Humanly speaking we think balance works. But in God's world things aren't that simple.
Justice has with it the strength of the law and the law doesn't care about anything but justice. No one can set aside the law. Romans 6:23, "The wages of sin is death." It is because of the eternal nature of the law that Christ had to die. He fulfilled its just requirements and set us all free in his mercy. Jesus fulfilled the justice of the law so he can justify those who have faith in him through mercy. They become justified by faith. (Romans 3:25, 26)
Mercy can only come when justice reigns supreme. One cannot set aside the other. But without mercy we are lost. There can be no balance… but we are saved anyway. That is the wisdom of the cross. God saves us and remains just. What a wonderful God we have.
What about in the way we treat one another? When we think of balance we often think 50-50 or half justice, half mercy. That may sound equitable humanly speaking, but spiritually it is very difficult, for both justice and mercy must work at 100% strength. The law contains no mercy like for forgiveness, or power to overcome, but only condemnation and justice. And God does not dole out his love in percentages. When God says he love you he loves you infinitely.
So how can we relate to one another with a "balance" of justice and mercy? We attempt to evaluate and offender’s "worthiness" to receive mercy. And if we think they are "worthy" we dole out mercy in portions: less punishment, a probationary time, etc. It seems to work alright especially in a parent/child relationship. We do this in an effort to "discipline" or teach a person to do better in the future. Even churches sometimes discipline their members.
But we must always remember that we are sinners and come under the condemnation of the law, we deserve death. That punishment cannot be administered in percentages. But God forgives us through Jesus death on the cross and mercy is given as 100% life... forever! Keeping this truth in our hearts will help us to show rebuke and/or mercy as we seek prayerfully to be led by God.