Devotionals

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Being an example of Mercy



Proverbs 3:3-4 Let not mercy and truth forsake you, bind them around your neck, write them in the tablet of your heart and so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man.

"The virtues of truth and mercy that come from God are to become part of us. Outwardly as the subject of our meditations. Such inward and outward mercy and truth is evidence of New Covenant. (John McArthur)


This morning I had a conversation with my 11 year old. He was telling me that one of his teachers at school was “really showing him mercy”. He went on to explain that he has been "forgetting" to bring a pencil to class every day for a while now and she has been giving him one. She said he needs to bring in 10 cents, she has let him go for about a week now and usually they are supposed to receive "minutes" for this, which he knows means big trouble at home. So when I reminded him this mercy is not to be taken advantage of as we have been studying Romans 6: "What shall we do then? Continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid." I then told him maybe he could share with her that example when he gives her the 10 cents today, and thank her for her mercy. He replied, "Well...I don't think she actually notices she is showing mercy, so I don't think I should tell her" I just laughed and I hugged him.

I know this lady and she is a godly woman and I have no doubt that she doesn't realize she is being merciful. It is a character of God that as we grow in the Lord, we also will develop this characteristic of mercy. It should become who we are and natural. It was just convicting for me as I want my children to see Christ in me. I have to wonder if they and others could say the same. Without me pointing out every merciful act, will my children notice?
What every one needs is mercy. When we go about our busy day and those frustrating people cross our paths, we need to remember that what they need at that moment is mercy, not to know they have frustrated us. We ourselves needed mercy at one time and God could have easily ‘shown’ His frustration. But because He is a God of mercy, He did not give us what we deserved, He gave us what we needed. MERCY. And it is now our turn to show that mercy to others.

It is a prayer of my heart that others will see a genuine mercy in me. But more so that my children will see it as they see me at my best and worst every day. Then in those times when mercy must be sacrificed from somewhere in my heart to replace those ‘weary’ emotions that God would grant me the mercy and grace to bestow it on those in need.

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