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"Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy."
(Matthew 5:7)
All this week, we are studying the fifth Beatitude of Jesus in Matthew 5:7. Mercy is a beautiful gift both to receive and to give away. One writer defined mercy this way: "Anything you do that is of benefit to someone in need." (MacArthur, The Beatitudes: The Only Way to Happiness, p. 133)
Mercy is much like grace, but it is inherently different. Grace is God giving to us what we do not deserve. Mercy, however, addresses the consequences of sin, and it is God not giving to us what we deserve. Mercy deals in problems. Mercy gives relief from the punishment that you deserve, while grace offers forgiveness for the crime itself. John MacArthur is very helpful here in defining and differentiating between these two great pillars of our faith (Ibid., p. 137). He does so by using the parable of the Good Samaritan, which, by the way, is an awesome story of mercy, grace, and forgiveness.
"In the story of the Good Samaritan, mercy relieves the suffering. Grace rents him a room. Mercy deals with the negative, and grace puts it in the positive. Mercy takes away the pain; grace gives a better condition. Mercy says, 'No hell.' Grace says, 'Heaven.' Mercy says, 'I pity you.' Grace says, 'I pardon you.' So mercy and grace are two sides of the same marvelous coin. God offers both."
The antithesis of an object often helps us see its true nature more clearly. The opposite of mercy is being unmerciful, unforgiving, and possessing a critical attitude. As John Stott says, "It finds revenge delicious, and forgiveness, by comparison, tame." (The Beatitudes: Developing Spiritual Character, p. 36) The truly merciful shine like a ray of light in a black world of unforgiveness and unmerciful conduct.
Jesus was merciful, and He entered a very unloving and unmerciful world. The Romans despised mercy, as it was a sign of weakness. It was considered a disease to be removed, not an attribute to be embraced. And the Jews were not much better. They took the most merciful and kind Person who ever lived and nailed Him to the cross.
Unfortunately, even in churches, there is not as much mercy as one might expect. Oh, that we would become merciful people who experience the love, grace, pardon, and mercy of God through Jesus... and I mean really experience it, and then dispense that same love, grace, pardon, and mercy to others who are hurting and desperate. Oftentimes when the hurting look to us, they see us so passionate and occupied with what we want but showing little love to them. I deeply desire for the Church of Jesus Christ to be a people not of shame, guilt, fear, and intimidation, but a people of mercy, receiving God's mercy for our own sins, then granting mercy to others.
To whom will you extend mercy today? Remember, if you are a Christian and on your way to heaven, you have been granted the very mercy of God.
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