7 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. ~ Matthew 5:7
Jesus made it very simple … To receive, you must first give … This goes hand in hand with forgiveness. Because mercy is compassion in action, forgiveness is grace in action … With both, we receive something that we do not deserve, and both are born of love … God’s love. Mercy isn’t just feeling sorry for someone—it’s choosing to act with kindness even when you could respond with judgment.
Forgiveness is one of the clearest expressions of mercy, because it means releasing someone from the debt they owe you, whether that debt is:
- Emotional
- Relational
- Physical
- Or even financial
- Mercy/forgiveness cancels the debt
If we put it another way, mercy is love’s open hand in place of hatred’s clenched fist. It is undeserved kindness—exactly what God has shown us through His Son, Jesus Christ. And again, if we want to receive mercy, we must give mercy. Mercy not only heals relationships; it reflects the very heart of God to a watching world.
The world is watching us even though we may not even realize it. The world is judging us even if they claim they don’t believe in judging others. We are being watched. Our actions are being weighed. Therefore, we must make sure to always imitate our Father in Heaven and walk in the footsteps of Christ our LORD.
Peace. Love. Go Forth and Show Mercy.