Posted on 02/22/2017 7:16:22 AM PST by metmom
“‘Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful’” (Luke 6:36).
Since we have received mercy from God, we are obligated to show mercy to those with physical or spiritual needs.
Jesus demonstrated His mercy many times as He went about healing people and casting out demons. Two blind men cried out, “‘Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!’ . . . And moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes; and immediately they regained their sight, and followed Him” (Matt. 20:30, 34). He was also deeply moved in spirit and wept when He saw the sorrow that Lazarus’s death caused (John 11:33-36).
His greatest mercy was shown, though, to those with spiritual needs. Not only did He heal a paralytic, but He forgave his sins (Luke 5:18-25). He also prayed for His executioners, saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).
We can show mercy by our physical acts. John says, “But whoever has the world’s goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth” (1 John 3:17-18).
We must also show mercy spiritually. Because we have experienced God’s mercy, we should have great concern for those who have not. We show spiritual mercy by proclaiming the saving gospel of Jesus Christ to the unsaved and by praying that God would show His mercy to them.
We also demonstrate spiritual mercy by lovingly confronting sinning Christians: “Brethren, even if a man is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to yourselves, lest you too be tempted” (Gal. 6:1). Sinning Christians bring reproach on Christ and His church and will fall under God’s discipline. In such cases it is wrong to say nothing and let the harm continue.
God has promised us in Matthew 5:7 that we will receive mercy from Him if we are merciful to others. If we have received unlimited mercy from our loving God, if we have been lifted from our poor, sinful, wretched state to become citizens of heaven, how can we withhold mercy from others?
Suggestions for Prayer
Pray that you would be sensitive to opportunities to show mercy today.
For Further Study
Read Matthew 23:37-39.
What was Jerusalem’s condition in verse 37? How does that intensify the nature of Christ’s compassion and mercy toward His people?
Studying God’s Word ping
...if we have been lifted from our poor, sinful, wretched state to become citizens of heaven, how can we withhold mercy from others?
For me, it’s being merciful to bad drivers. Accept that they suck at driving and don’t call them names and hope they lose control and drive off the road and kill themselves in a blazing fireball.
No, wait. I’ve never thought that about anybody.
There’s a huge difference between being merciful in a charitable way and being merciful to the point of excusing or condoning sin. On the contrary, we’re to abhor sin (Rom. 12:9)
Jesus was merciful and He did not enable anyone in their sin.
Being merciful does not include helping or encouraging others on their paths to destruction.
And of course, I never hoped the idiot blasting past me at 70 MPH on an icy, snow covered road in a snowstorm would spin out and end up in the ditch.
Even though I did laugh at the one I saw do it.
And of course, I never hoped the idiot blasting past me at 70 MPH on an icy, snow covered road in a snowstorm would spin out and end up in the ditch.
Even though I did laugh at the one I saw do it.
I’ll get VERY temporarily hostile when someone cuts me off without signalling, but that is very short lived. We all make mistakes, and the way I drive, I have no room to complain.
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