Mercy (part 1)

What is mercy? Merriam-Webster defines it as:

1. compassion or forbearance shown especially to an offender or one subject to one’s power
2. a blessing that is an act of divine favor or compassion
3. compassionate treatment of those in distress

Exploring the Biblical Concept of Mercy

We see the word mercy in the Bible over and over again. It is mentioned over 300 times in the King James Version, in fact. If I had to choose one central theme of the Bible as a whole, mercy would be it. The first time we see an act of mercy in the Bible is in Genesis 3 just after Adam and Eve partake of the fruit of the tree of life. Although God had told them if they ate of that tree they would die he did not kill them. He took mercy on them, clothed them in animal skins, and cast them from the garden. Being cast from the garden was awful but not nearly as awful as death would have been.

God’s mercy is referenced 274 times in the Old Testament in the King James Version. I don’t know about you, but I highly doubt I’ve ever shown anyone else mercy 274 times. But God didn’t stop there. He showed us the ultimate act of mercy in the New Testament when he sent his son to live a perfect life and die on the cross for our sins.

You see, mercy is extended to people who don’t deserve it right when they least deserve it. If we are all honest with ourselves, none of us is worthy of the love of Jesus. I probably sinned 10 times before I got out of bed this morning. I know the things I should do and the way I should behave as a Christian woman, but I rarely last an hour without behaving like a spoiled child or sitting in the unkind judgment of others.

One of my favorite verses is James 4:6.

But he gives us more grace

James 4:6

Jesus doesn’t require anything but our acceptance in return for his ultimate sacrifice. I know that’s difficult to understand at first. The environment I grew up in, and the first experiences with “love” I had, taught me that I couldn’t rely on anyone but myself. It also taught me that nothing is free and no one gives you anything without expecting something in return.

My first boyfriend lavished me with expensive gifts when I first met him. He made me feel like no one could ever love me like he did. When my mom said I couldn’t have a cell phone, he added me to his plan and bought me a phone she didn’t know about. I thought I was the coolest, luckiest girl at school. I had an older boyfriend and he bought me a cell phone. A few weeks later I learned that it came with a pretty hefty price tag. My innocence in exchange for that phone. I’m sure you have a similar story. How many times has someone given you a gift that made you feel so special, only to expect cash in on that favor later?

Thankfully, that’s not how God works. God loves us with an everlasting love that our human minds can’t always understand. He loves us so much that he gives us free will no matter what. The choice is yours. He will never try to “cash in” on his sacrifice for us. However, if you do choose to turn to him, all he asks is that you love him. Accept that we are sinners and that Jesus died for us, and invite him into your life. That’s it. That’s all you have to do for these unending mercies. Sounds pretty great, right?

Salvation: A Gift to Be Shared

But, here’s the thing, you can accept Jesus and you can live out the rest of your life being a decent person, maybe going to church now and then. Jesus will still love you if you live that way. You can never lose your salvation after you’ve accepted it. God doesn’t take back gifts, even if you’re not using them. That’s not his M.O. But, think of this.

If you were homeless and someone came along and built you a brand new house, no strings attached, no reason to pay them back; would you sit out on the front lawn and just look at it? Would you keep living in your tent? Or would you move into that brand new house and invite all of your friends in for a housewarming party? You better believe I’m moving in!

That’s kind of how salvation works. We’re homeless, living in a tent, braving the elements. Then here comes Jesus. He throws us a liferaft, a drink of water, a home where we had none. You’re free to accept the gift and do nothing with it. But, oh my friends, you can’t imagine the incredible life you can live if you take that gift and use it to its full potential. If you open the door to that brand new house you’ll find it full of every good and perfect gift you could ever think of. And there’s plenty of room for your friends!

Jesus wants you to share it with your friends. He wants you to take that gift and throw it out like confetti. God wants you to take his love and mercies and hand them out like Oprah and those cars she gave away.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Proceed

God, in his infinite wisdom, knew that we humans would need all the help we could get. We aren’t always the most willing or most obedient servants. I know everyone in this house got a double helping of stubbornness on creation day. I’ve often heard people quip that life didn’t come with an owner’s manual or user guide. But that’s where you’re wrong. We have the Bible. The Bible is easily the greatest literary work of all time, but more than that, it is an incredible road map for the lives God hopes we will choose to lead. It gives us a pretty step-by-step guide for a full and abundant life with Jesus Christ.

Scripture shows us seven ways we can show mercy to others. In the next few blog posts, I want to explore those with you. Let me warn you, they are not all easy. Practicing them will probably be pretty hard at first. I still struggle with most of them. I’m a work in progress and so are you. So start by showing yourself a little mercy. We will never be perfect. You won’t be perfect at showing mercy to others. You probably won’t even be very good at it at first. Sometimes I find it hard to even show mercy to my own family, much less the rest of this messed up world. That’s okay. Remember, we are in this together, and no matter how many times we mess up, he shows us more mercy.