Mercy

Has someone been merciful to you? How did that feel? Rather good huh?


According to Webster mercy means “compassion or forbearance shown especially to an offender or to one subject to one’s power, compassionate treatment of those in distress.”


In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1-12) Jesus taught what are traditionally titled the Beatitudes. Robert Schuler calls the Beatitudes the BE ATTITUDES. I like that.


Included in the Lord’s list of BE ATTITUDES is mercy. Jesus said “Blessed (happy, oh how happy) are the merciful.” Why? Because “they shall receive mercy.”


Mercy is an attitude we are to have toward people, especially if we want to receive mercy.
    
Three things stand out to me about mercy.


First, you and I have been shown mercy. 


“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus, in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:4-7


Where would you and I be without God’s love and mercy? Biblically, we would be headed for hell! Instead, because God is merciful, everyone who believes in and receives His Son is headed for heaven (John 3:16, 1:12).


Thank you God for Your great mercy.


Secondly, you and I are to give mercy.


 Mercy is God’s gracious gift. Gifts should be shared. Merciful people give mercy to others. Jesus said to His followers “Freely you have received, freely give.” (Matthew 10:8).  Giving freely applies to mercy. Christians who have received Christ’s mercy are to give His mercy to others, freely and as often as needed.


Thirdly, being merciful, you and I will receive mercy. 


No exposition, explanation or emphasis needed here. Jesus made it clear…. clear as the day is long: THE MERCIFUL RECEIVE MERCY.
    
Here is an idea. If you need mercy, why not be merciful to someone else?
    
Life, relationships and ministry without mercy are like clouds without rain. Rain waters the earth, bringing life.  Mercy brings life to living. Without mercy, life is hard to bear. Mercy and kindness take the hard edge off living in a self-centered, arrogant, merciless world.


Observations About Mercy

• If you choose to be merciless, you will be mercy less.
• If you choose to be merciful, you will be mercy full.
• No mercy…. you won’t know mercy.
• Merciless people are miserable people.
• Merciful people are thankful, joyful people.
• Merciful people are rewarded with mercy.
• Mercy is a Christlike characteristic.
• Mercy and kindness mark people who have been made over by God’s mercy.
• Mercy springs from hearts that have experienced God’ mercy.
• Mercy flows from a grateful heart that understands grace.
• If you aren’t merciful to men, how do you expect to receive mercy from man’s Maker?

Mercy does matter.    


At the end of the day, I have a feeling that you and I will cry out to God like the honest, transparent man did in Luke 18:9-14.  Humbly approaching the presence of the Lord he prayed “God be merciful to me the sinner.” Have mercy on me God because I know I am a sinner who has sinned. Note he said “the sinner.” This guy was serious about his sin…so serious that he asked God for mercy.


Is that your heart? Is that my heart? Do we recognize that we need God’s mercy? Or do we take His love and grace for granted? And how do we feel about mercy for people who are sinners like us too? Just asking.


You might have a mercy problem if you are harder on people then you should be, you deny people the benefit of the doubt, you refuse to cut people some slack, you withhold forgiveness and grace or you excommunicate people from your life because they don’t measure up to your standards.


Everyone needs mercy. I need mercy every single day and so do you and others. Every day look for opportunities to be a mercy give.


Lord, have mercy on me…and help me be merciful to others in Your name.


“Do not let mercy and truth leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.”                                         Proverbs 3:3


“He has told you man what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God?”                            Micah 6:8


A Word For Your Week: Show mercy to be shown mercy.