A Disciple's Be-Atitudes - #5 Being Merciful

 #5 Being Merciful

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

Driving down the Suitland Parkway some time ago, I approached a stalled car in the right hand lane. As I passed the car, I noticed an older woman behind the stirring wheel. My intention was to keep going but a little voice within me told me to stop and help her if I could. I stopped and so did another person. We pushed her to the side, called a tow truck and waited until someone could pick her up. She thanked us for showing a little old lady mercy.

What is mercy? Mercy is the act of being kind, patient and/or thoughtful. Mercy is not a quality that is in us from birth. It has to be given and developed by God. Remember my first thought was to keep on going like the priest and the Levite in the Good Samaritan story. Our sinful nature leads us to look the other way. It is our sinful nature that keeps our focus on us and not others. So how do we attain the beatitude of mercy?

This quality comes only when we are born again and our hearts are renewed. God is the giver of mercy. He is full of mercy. The Bible declares:  But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:4-5) God’s rich mercy acted upon our need for salvation. He sent Jesus into this world for restoration. We are made rich and alive.  So how should we respond?

We are to perform acts of mercy out of mercy. Since we have been renewed and saved by grace, our proper response to God is to be merciful to others. Since Christ lives in us we now have the ability to sympathize with those who suffer. We can sympathize with those who suffer tragic events, or those who are undeserving, or the spiritual hungry, or those who are just plain lonely. How much can this world be changed if we the Disciples of Christ act daily with mercy other disciples and to our neighbors.

What is the reward for those who display mercy? They are rewarded in-kind: with mercy.  God declares our sins forgiven each day we confess and repent of our sins. What a great reward! Share it with others.

Questions:

1.     What is God’s desire for his disciples?

2.     Can you identify daily acts of mercy? By you? By someone else?

3.     In what ways do we experience God’s mercy?  (Genesis 20:1-18)

4.     List the examples of mercy displayed by the church community.

5.     Explain how this beatitude is twofold.

Applications:

1.     God’s mercy does not come as a result of our worthiness. (Zechariah 3:1-10)

2.     The proud do not experience God’s mercy. (Luke 18:9-14)