“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy”. (Matt 5:7 NIV)
When you consider forgiving the people who have hurt you, you must always consider how much Jesus has forgiven you! You don’t deserve His love and can never earn it. He forgave you because He is a merciful, gracious God. Because you have already been forgiven of ALL your sins and set free, you must forgive others by becoming so transparent that His mercy and grace will radiate through every aspect of your life. You are never to be a giver of condemnation but always a giver of mercy.
Mercy is distinctly different from forgiveness because God is merciful to us even when you don’t sin, just as you can be merciful to those who have never done anything against you. God’s mercy doesn’t just forgive your failures and faults, but reaches deep into all your weakness and need. His attitude toward you is merciful.
“But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so very much, that even while we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s special favor that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ, and we are seated with him in the heavenly realms--all because we are one with Christ Jesus. And so God can always point to us as examples of the incredible wealth of his favor and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us through Christ Jesus (Eph 2:4).
Mercy is also related to grace. Grace is what saves you - mercy is what sustains you. Mercy eliminates the pain, grace cures the disease. Mercy offers relief from punishment; grace offers pardon from the crime. Mercy is a word you will hear used in the legal system. After the conviction has been made, the jury has unanimously declared the persons guilt, and the sentence is about to be handed down, MERCY is begged for.
The Hebrew word for mercy is 'checed' and means to get inside someone’s skin, to look at where they view life and feel what they are experiencing; to move in and act on behalf of the one whose hurting. That is exactly what Jesus did when He chose to leave the comfort and glory of Heaven to become one of us. The Greek word translated as "mercy" is 'eleos' and means to have a disposition towards others of compassion, kindness, goodness, giving, and forgiveness.
One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking Him this question: "Teacher, what must I do to receive eternal life?" Jesus replied with a question, "What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?"
The religious man replied with the correct answer "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, `Love your neighbor as yourself.’ " He then asked Jesus another question to justify his behavior; “And who is my neighbor”
Jesus answered him by telling the familiar story of the Good Samaritan found in Luke 10:25-37. The Samaritan handed out mercy by taking notice of the bruised and beaten man laying beside the road, relating to his need AND doing something to help him.
After telling the story Jesus asked, “which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?" The man replied, "The one who showed him mercy." Then, Jesus said, "Yes, now go and do the same."
The dispensing of mercy on your part identifies you not only with the hurting but with God the Father. You are never more like your Heavenly Father than when you are giving out mercy. Jesus desires acts of “mercy and not sacrifice’ (Matt 9:13 NIV). If you truly love God you prove it through the mercy you give.
New Every Morning
The mercy and “unfailing love of the LORD never ends! His “mercies begin afresh each day" (Lam 3:19-24 NLT). His mercy is brand spanking new every morning! Everyday you are given a second chance and a fresh start at life! “Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven! For His mercy endures forever" (Psalm 136:26 NKJV).
As God gives you a fresh start each new day, so should you reach beyond the pain and give to those who have hurt you a fresh start through your forgiveness. Mercy is forgiveness soaked in the love of God. Everyday, when you forgive, the anger, bitterness, resentment and pain that you feel from the wrong suffered at the hands of another is weakened. It’s only through the giving of mercy that your emotional wounds will be healed. If you do not show mercy and forgive the unforgivable you may never find total healing for your spirit, mind and body.
BECOMING A CONDUIT OF GOD’S MERCY
When Jesus was ready to release the disciples into ministry He gave them very specific instructions. In those commands we find a four-step plan for effectively fulfilling the Great Commission. First, speak peace to them. "When you enter a house, first say, ’Peace to this house.’ If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you”. Second, fellowship with them; “Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house. When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. Third, take care of their needs; “Heal the sick who are there”. Finally, in order to become a conduit of mercy and share God’s forgiving love and mercy with the guilty, convicted, and the desperate who have only known judgment, wrath, and condemnation, share the Great News! Tell them, “The kingdom of God is near you” (Luke 10:5, 8-9 NIV).
Just as Jesus was love incarnate, He was mercy incarnate. He wept with the sorrowing and gave companionship to the lonely. He took little children into His arms and blessed them. He forgave those who beat Him and rallied against Him. The ultimate outcome of His mercy was the cross.
Jesus said, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Matt 5:7 NIV). He was teaching that mercy to men brings mercy from God - not mercy from men. Our corrupt, ego-centered, and selfish society often asks only one question; “What’s in it for me?” Jesus wants us to ask “ Lord, what is in it for you? How can I meet their needs right where they are? What acts of compassion can I do?” Mercy is meeting people’s needs wherever their needs are - in what ever situation they find themselves. It’s not simply feeling compassion but showing compassion, not only sympathizing but offering a helping hand as well. The true character of mercy is in giving – giving compassion, giving help, giving time, giving money, giving of yourself and giving forgiveness. If you desire to “brightly reflect the glory of the Lord” and become “more and more like him and reflect his glory even more” you must “never give up” in showing His mercy (2 Cor 3:17-4:2 NLT).
