Blessed are the merciful
One of the things Jesus says is, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” (Matt. 5:7). So Jesus believed that joy and mercy are closely linked. But what does it mean to be merciful? And what promises does God have for merciful people?
What does mercy mean?
Mercy is perhaps not a term many people use in their daily lives. What does it actually mean? Mercy is about feeling genuine compassion for others without them necessarily having asked for it or deserved it. Most people can think back to a time in their lives when they were met with compassion without really having asked for it.
It feels good to be around people who are merciful. That is how God wants us to be. The Bible says, “For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” (Matt. 7:2). If we consider this promise in light of Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount, it means that the same mercy we show to others is the mercy we ourselves will receive when we stand before God. If we show a lot of mercy, we will receive a lot in return.
God is merciful
For God is a merciful God. We can read about this in several places in the Bible. Psalm 103:8 says, “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” God is therefore both merciful and full of grace, patience, and goodness. In contrast to this, James states that judgment will be without mercy for those who have shown no mercy (James 2:13). There will be many situations in our lives where we need to be treated with mercy. Where we need kindness and help, even though we may not always have earned it. Failing to receive mercy in these situations can make life both brutal and difficult. That is why it is especially important that we, who wish to follow Jesus, treat people with mercy. The same mercy that God shows us.
“Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.”
Mercy has no small importance. It’s quite incredible to think that it’s possible to be as merciful, kind, and empathetic toward others as God is toward us. Just think how wonderful it is to be around people who truly believe in this. In James, it also says that mercy triumphs over judgment! Another translation of the same verse states that mercy boasts against judgment. What a powerful force we humans can tap into if we choose to be merciful toward the people we meet in life. God has great promises for those who are merciful. As Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, those who are merciful will always find mercy themselves.
See the video about Matthew 5:7 here.
