Mercy

May 16, 2010
Matthew 5:7
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

This verse requires a definition of mercy. Initially, we listed forgiveness, compassion, and kindness as good descriptions of mercy. Then we added a key concept: undeserved.

We reflected on God's mercy to us. In our earliest days of following Jesus, some of us didn't really think we'd been that sinful to start with. Often, we make excuses for bad behavior. Rather than asking for forgiveness, we want God and others to understand that we had a reason for doing what we shouldn't have done. Or, we explain that we didn't really think it was wrong. Until we understand that we have actually done bad things, it is hard to understand what God's mercy is.

Some of us then shared about times when we realized how wrong we'd been. Sometimes, as we begin to see our lives from God's perspective, we begin to see how wrong our past lives have been. Other times, even with God's help available, we choose to ignore His help and deliberately do what we shouldn't. At such times, we are aware of how far away we are from real goodness. When we know that we have sinned, and we agree that we have no excuse, then we are in a position to recognize the mercy that God offers.

God offers us complete forgiveness. He doesn't excuse our actions by saying, "You couldn't help it" or "You didn't know better." He knows that we made bad choices, that we deliberately turned our back on what was good and right, and that we knew what we were doing. Even so, He says, "Let's start over. I won't hold it against you. Let me help you to become the good person I intended for you to be."

That is mercy.

And that is what we are supposed to offer to those around us.

Our mercy to others involves forgiveness, compassion, and kindness. And it needs to be put into practice. It isn't mercy if we just think about it. We need to act on these feelings in order for it to become mercy.

And if we become merciful, we need to come to grips with being taken advantage of. The nature of mercy is that it is undeserved. When we recognize how merciful God is to us, it will be easier to extend that mercy to others.

When we recognize how out-of-step we are with God, we have to ask for and accept the mercy God extends to us. Then we need to open our eyes to the need for mercy all around us. If we don't, we can become self-righteous. That would mean that we are pleased with what God is doing for us, but we've forgotten that we don't get the credit for the changes.

The previous verse in Matthew suggested that we can be filled with righteousness. This week's verse reminds us that the righteousness is a gift from God. There is no point congratulating ourselves on how good we've become. Our own goodness is because of God's mercy. He has forgiven us and loved us when we didn't deserve it at all. With this verse, we have the cure for self-righteousness. Any righteousness we have doesn't come from ourselves at all.

A writer suggested that this verse about mercy may be related to the earlier verse about "poor in spirit." Both verses deal with recognizing our own inadequacy. Discussion brought out how hard it is for the rich to enter heaven. The riches may not be material. Self-satisfaction can blind us to our own need for mercy.

We closed the session with hints that this verse may be more than just a promise. The Lord's prayer in Matthew 6:9-13 is immediately followed by a warning: We are to forgive others in order to be forgiven. And the parable of the unforgiving servant, Matthew 18:23-34, is immediately followed by the same warning: If we don't forgive others, we will not be forgiven.

As citizens of God's new kingdom, we are certainly supposed to work for God's will to be done. We have been offered the chance to see our own lives from God's perspective. We can even catch glimpses of the way the world ought to be. In those times, we know that we cannot live as God wants unless we accept the help He offers us. And we don't deserve that help.

In the same way, as citizens of God's new kingdom, we are to offer undeserved help to those around us.