Mercy

What exactly is mercy? It can be described many ways. According to Merriam-Webster dictionary it means compassion or forbearance shown especially to an offender or to one subject to one's power. The following story is an excellent example of this meaning.

A mother once approached Napoleon seeking a pardon for her son. The emperor replied that the young man had committed a certain offense twice and justice demanded death. "But I don't ask for justice," the mother explained. "I plead for mercy." "But your son does not deserve mercy," Napoleon replied. "Sir," the woman cried, "it would not be mercy if he deserved it, and mercy is all I ask for." "Well, then," the emperor said, "I will have mercy." And he spared the woman's son. [Luis Palau, Experiencing God's Forgiveness, Multnomah Press, 1984.]

 

Can you think of another person that has shown this kind of mercy? If you said Jesus, then you are exactly right. God's word describes mercy these five ways. First it is great. (Isa. 54:7) Second it is sure. (Isa. 55:3) Third it is abundant. (1 Pet. 1:3) Fourth it is tender. (Ps. 25:6) and lastly it is new every morning. (Lam. 3:22, 23)

Jesus Himself taught mercy as one of the principles in life. (Matt. 5:7) Paul tells us in Rom. 12:8 that mercy is practiced as a gift. He further writes in his epistle to the Philippians that mercy is evidenced in God's provinces to himself and Epaphroditus in their times of sickness. (Phil. 2:27) If you didn't realize it, mercy can even be obtained in prayer. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Heb. 4:16) In Jude 21 we are even reminded that mercy is a reason for hope. Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

 

Is it possible that you require God's mercy today? If so, please do not be like the Pharisees in Matthew 9:13 who truly needed a lesson in compassion, but would not receive God's mercy if they continued in their present condition. Jesus came to save those which were lost, not the saved to repentance. It was apparent that the Pharisees still had much to learn on this subject if they wanted to have eternal rest. Hopefully we will not find ourselves in this same situation. Since God's mercy is so evident in our lives from what has already been mentioned, we should show the same mercy towards our fellow man. Mercy is something we all desire from others, therefore if we are able to receive it, then we should be able to render it as well. How is your mercy measuring up these days?