Matthew 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Mercy is not a naturally occurring characteristic in human nature for it is foreign to us and it is given by God as a gift to us, to be cultivated as a tender plant to the point where it becomes the default setting in our characters not merely an afterthought occurring after the fact.
While in most persons, a strict sense of justice is a preexisting condition, mercy, in stark contrast, has to be deliberately exercised in order for it to grow. In the character of God there’s to be found a unique blend of mercy and justice, but mercy will take the upper hand any day, for this is what God delights in.
There are not many television shows and movies in which mercy is highlighted, but there are a ton of them, in which the bad guys are apprehended, and made to pay for their wrongs. Such movies, where strict justice is meted out would always appeal to the multitudes, for that is where our default setting is usually set.
That is why we have such long-running series like judge Judy, judge Alex, judge Joe Brown, judge Mathis, divorce court, and You be the judge, for these shows appeal to the acute sense of justice that is found in human nature. But mercy shows, where persons are forgiven for a host of inadvertent, or deliberate acts, are in short supply and if such shows were to exist on television, we can be assured that their ratings would be at the very bottom.
It is not the will of God that His people should feed on justice too much, especially those shows where husbands and wives, friends and neighbors tear into each other on live TV.
By beholding we become changed, and if we dwell on justice, we will inevitably develop a craving for it and in consequence, anyone who crosses our path, or may do us wrong, could trigger a first response of strict justice which could be followed up by lawsuits and prosecution to the fullest extent of the law.
But the Bible teaches us a completely different way of doing things, a different approach that is more in line with the heavenly than with the earthly. It’s the will of God that His believing children should deal in a different currency than that which the world deals in.
Christians are set as lights in the world, not to do as the world does, but rather to show forth the praises of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. Thus, the radiance beaming in the face of Jesus is to shine radiantly in and through His professed people, if we are to make a difference in the world.
As we have stated before, a peculiar people should have something peculiar about them, and that has to do with the espousing and practice of principles, laws, statutes, and methods that are mostly foreign to the secular world.
In a practical sense, persons should not be eager for justice even when it is due or warranted. We should avoid that mouth-watering craving to get even with persons who have done us wrong, and instead of a retaliatory spirit which is too often indulged, we are to follow in the footsteps of our Master, even Jesus Christ, who takes no pleasure in meting out justice.
Justice is something that God must do, but He does so reluctantly, all the while, hoping that there will be a change of course in those who are at odds with Him, wherever the possibility of repentance and change may exist.
This is the glory that is to be reflected through His people, and that is why, in the ancient tabernacle the mercy seat was set above the law, because law cannot save, but mercy can. Several passages of scripture reflect the above statements. Let’s read:
Psalms 103:8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
13 Like as a father pities his children, so the Lord pities them that fear him.
14 For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.
Luke 6:35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
Proverbs 24:17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falls and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbles.
18 Lest the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
Ezekiel 33:11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
Romans 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
21 Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good.
In all of these and similar passages, God is showing to us in unmistakable terms that we are to track an entirely different course from that which the world embraces, for if we do not, there would not be any noticeable difference to the observer, and therefore no incentives or valid reasons why persons should switch masters.
The general tenor of the Christian’s life should be one of redemption, not a craving to get even. When this is the case the wrongs and slights that come our way are readily forgiven and forgotten, even before the offending person may ask forgiveness or seek a reconciliation. In fact, God does not expect persons who are in the wrong to initiate reconciliation.
Forgiveness, and reconciliation are to be initiated by the one who is in Christ, and Christ in them, for it is unrealistic in many cases to expect someone who is in an offending frame of mind, to trigger anything that’s even remotely close to reconciliation.
After Adam and Eve had sinned, they did not ask for forgiveness up front, neither did they try to initiate reconciliation. Instead, fallen human nature always seeks to blame others for their shortcomings, which effectively precludes any attempt of reconciliation on our part.
But God did not wait for us to make the first move. He took the initiative and offered mercy even when it was not requested, and thus, He set in motion the practice of offering forgiveness when it isn’t sought by those who are in the wrong. Let’s read:
Genesis 3:8 And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.
9 And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?
21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins and clothed them.
Now, there are a few things we should know about mercy so that we could discern between the true and the spurious. There is a difference between mercy and kindness, a difference that is too often confused by the secular world. Kindness: noun; the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.
Persons can be friendly, generous, and considerate without being merciful. Not long ago in Texas, when the deep freeze gripped the lone star state, owners of a particular grocery let the customers leave with their carts full of groceries without paying, for they had compassion on the people who were hedged in with abnormal difficulty. That’s kindness for real.
Then there are others, like Bill and Melinda Gates who have donated millions to various charities and other organizations to help the less fortunate. That work and results of such efforts have undoubtedly resulted in alleviating hardship for many, which is kindness in real time.
But mercy is an entirely different matter, because persons can manifest great kindness, while at the same time harboring an unforgiving, unmerciful spirit. And even though the two characteristics are not mutually exclusive, yet the one is too often to be found existing without the other. Let’s read:
Mercy: noun; compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm.
There are often times when persons have a right to punish those who have inadvertently or deliberately done them wrong. But, even though such persons may have exhibited great kindness in times past, yet in some instances it is difficult to forgive, especially when an acute sense of justice has been cultivated for many years.
Case in point was David, who on many occasions did exhibit real compassion and kindness. In one special instance, he braved danger, and he carried food and drink for his brothers who were then engaging with the army in facing down the philistines. In another instance, he gracefully refused to drink water which his soldiers had hazarded themselves to procure.
David even manifested mercy at times, when Saul was seeking to take his life. In a couple of instances he actually refrained himself and his soldiers from doing Saul harm, which they had opportunity to do.
But when persons are ungrateful, or when they may repay good with evil, it touches a sensitive nerve in human nature, and like David, the default setting of justice can lead persons to do strange things. Here’s what the Bible teaches us in dealing with situations of ingratitude, or instances where good is repaid with evil. Let’s read:
Luke 6:27 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,
28 Bless them that curse you and pray for them which despitefully use you.
Therefore, even though David had manifested great kindness in some situations, yet when someone had repaid his kindness with ingratitude, David forgot all about mercy, and that strict sense of justice which is the default setting in human nature kicked in. Let’s read:
1st Samuel 25:5 And David sent out ten young men, and David said unto the young men, Get you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name.
6 And thus shall you say to him that lives in prosperity, Peace be both to thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace be unto all that thou hast.
7 And now I have heard that thou hast shearers: now thy shepherds which were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there ought missing unto them, all the while they were in Carmel.
8 Ask thy young men, and they will shew thee. Wherefore let the young men find favor in thine eyes: for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and to thy son David.
9 And when David's young men came, they spoke to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased.
10 And Nabal answered David's servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master.
11 Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be?
12 So David's young men turned their way, and went again, and came and told him all those sayings.
13 And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the stuff.
21 Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him: and he hath requited me evil for good.
22 So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.
David was actually correct in his assessment of the person in question, and without a doubt, justice seemed warranted, for Nabal’s ingratitude was also laced with references to slavery, something which touched a sensitive nerve in David.
But David’s reaction in this instance did not come from God, and the methods he chose to resolve the ingratitude did not harmonize with God’s ways of handling similar situations. In many instances, it’s not that persons do not have a point, or a right, the problem is the reaction and methods employed in resolving the issue.
In some families of the saved, some have old axes to grind while others hold tenaciously onto grudges for many years, until the keen sense of justice has all but sapped the lifeblood and sunshine out of their countenances. In other instances, we seem unable to get over the wrongs that were deliberately and systematically done to us.
If we were to spend more time studying Calvary, we would be less prone to revert to strict justice for we would be humbled and softened by what Christ did for us on the tree. Beholding Christ on the cross for our sins tends to make us more forgiving, merciful, and patient with others, and our reactions to wrong will be in the context of how Jesus treats us. Let’s read:
Isaiah 53: 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Jesus could have actually come down from the cross when the priests dared Him to, and He could have gone back to heaven free and clear, but He chose not to repay our ingratitude with strict justice.
Therefore, in our own experience, where husbands and wives have been estranged for valid or invalid reasons, where children have been deprived of the balance that the father and mother brings, and in those situations where brethren may have axes to grind with other brethren, let’s remember that God has shown us by example, the royal methods and ways seeking reconciliation.
Let valid grievances, such as David’s be put out of the equation; let a strict sense of justice not take any precedence over mercy, and let us try by the grace of God to dwell in the light that emanates from the face of Jesus, for if we dwell in the positive, we will react in the positive.
But if we harbor darkness, ill-will, and dwell upon the hurt that has been deliberately or inadvertently done to us, then not only will reconciliation become difficult, but the effect of harboring grudges will be etched into our very countenances. When mercy is the default setting, it results in a chain of positive reactions that are redemptive in nature.
Thus, as we go about our daily activities, let us ask God for that cheerful, merciful spirit which delights in forgiveness, and the sunshine of God’s presence will radiate to others, wherever we may go. We end with a passage of scripture which will help us in cultivating mercy, as the default setting. Let’s read:
Luke 6:31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.
33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.
35 But love ye your enemies, and you shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
God Bless!