Mercy: Compassion or forgiveness toward someone to whom it within one's power to put in or harm.
Where would our world be without it? What if Jesus skipped over this beatitude leaving this one out?
Have you ever show someone mercy? Has anyone ever shown you mercy?
Of course, Jesus showed us ultimate mercy by dying on the cross to take the place for our sin We don't have to do that but why it so important for us to show it to others.
Mercy is a remedy. It can be a cure for all bitterness within a family, other relationships or just in one's own heart and mind. It is extending forgiveness to someone who may not be worthy of your forgiveness just as we are not worthy of the forgiveness Jesus gives us because of what he did for us on the cross.
But mercy also demands action. Jesus gave an illustration in Luke 10: 25-37 that defines mercy for us.
The Parable of the Good Samaritan
25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”
29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance, a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side.32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.35 And the next day he took out two denarii[c] and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”
Out of those 3, it was the Samaritan that had compassion and mercy on the man that had been robbed and beaten.He did not just see that this man needed help. He did not go and tell someone else that there is a man laying out on the road that needs help, so go help him. He was the one that did help him. Jesus told the people that they should go and do the same for others. Not just feel compassion or mercy for them but to do for them.
I know what some might say. That in this world of so many scams how can you really know if someone is truly needful of mercy, or if they are trying to scam you? You should always be mindful of God that he would direct you in what to do. I could give you an example of that very thing a few years ago when we met a 20 something-year-old girl that tried to scam us. We were to find out that she was on drugs and she had a good story about a grandmother that led her to the Lord as a child. But when her stories proved to be false, we had to stop helping her. Once we saw through her and stopped helping her the way she wanted, she dropped us like a hot potato. And though I wish things could have been different, I knew God didn't want us to continue to allow her to do that. Ever since then, we have been careful and made sure that who we help, is who God would have us to.
Mercy does not excuse or ignore sin. Therefore, we need to be merciful to those that need us but are not in some way using us and being deceitful. And I don't mean that we should not feed the hungry or help those in need, but we should always be vigilant about who is in a real need or who might be trying to pull a scam on us..
Again I ask, have you shown mercy to anyone? I know who has shown mercy to you. His name is Jesus Christ. He paid the ultimate sacrifice to us even though we don't deserve it. That is MERCY. That is LOVE.
Luke 10:25-37
Thanks for your visit today Friends. Many, many blessings to you and yours. Come back tomorrow for the next beatitude "Blessed Are the Pure in Heart" Have a wonderful day!
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