How to Take the Narrow Path and Show Mercy
Jan 22, 2020In some sports leagues there’s a mercy rule. That’s means if one team is so badly outmatched and being beaten by such a wide margin there’s no hope for a comeback, officials can award the better team the victory to save the other team any further embarrassment.
But in real life, there usually isn’t a mercy rule.
Instead, people can be rather ruthless.
A group of teens beats up another students, and the video goes viral on youtube.
One person takes another to the cleaners in a law suit.
If we were honest we’d admit there are some people we don’t believe deserve mercy: the person who abuses a child; a drunk driver who crashes into your teenager.
So what are we to make of this beatitude of Jesus that says,
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Matthew 5:7
The root word for merciful is “elios”, and it has to do with the misery that grace deals with. In other words, grace and mercy are not the same.
God’s grace pays for the punishment of sin; mercy relieves the misery.
Only God Himself paid for our sins, so only He can pronounce us forgiven, but He does call upon us to show mercy to others.
This is one of the most challenging of all the beatitudes to do. It’s a perfect example of how this teaching of Jesus really is the opposite way. This is not the path taken by many. The path taken by many people is revenge, or at the very least resentment.
We like to see people get what’s coming to them.
There’s and urban legend that Vera Czernak of Prague supposedly discovered her husband was cheating on her. Vera decided to end it all and jump out of their 3rd story apartment window.
Ms. Czernak sustained only minor injuries because she landed on her husband, breaking her fall, but killing him.
It’s tempted to get sort of get a sick satisfaction from that story because we think he got what he deserved.
How do we put this beatitude into practice in our family? To the person who’s serving you? To the one who falls? To the person we see in need?
When we understand just what Jesus is instructing for those who follow him, we feel tension because we know this doesn’t come naturally for us. But there are two reasons you and I should consider this good news.
What are some ways we can show mercy?
1. Give to those in need.
But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees 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
2. Reach out to the beaten up.
3. Forgive the person who’s sinned
Mercy doesn’t pretend sin doesn’t happen. Mercy realizes we live in a fallen world, and seeks to forgive and restore.
He has told you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justice, to love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?
Micah 6:8
So it’s possible to do justice and show mercy at the same time.
4. Forgive the one who’s directly wronged you.
That’s one is probably the hardest to do.
Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
Ephesians 4:32
When God showed mercy to our world, he didn’t just turn his head away from our sin as if it never happened. On the contrary, he dealt head on with our sin. He showed us mercy, but more than that, he showed us grace.
Mercy is forgiving an offense. Grace is paying the price for the offense.
God did both through his son, Jesus Christ.
And the reason we can extend mercy and truth to others is that God extended both to us. He dealt head-on with our sin and showed mercy as well.
Prayer: Father, you’ve perfectly provided grace and truth through your Son. As I’m given opportunities to express both, please give me the grace and wisdom to be faithful to you. Help me to show the same mercy to others as I desire from you. Amen.
