SHOWING MERCY – PART 1

James Dobson reported seeing a sign on a convent in that read: Absolutely no Trespassing: Violators Will Be Prosecuted to the Full Extent of the Law, signed; The Sisters of Mercy. As we take a look at the Beatitudes, let us find out what mercy really is, and how we can become people of mercy. Remember, the first 4 Beatitudes portray the heart attitude of citizens of the Kingdom of YHVH. The next 5, teach us what actions should come as a result of the right heart attitude. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. -- Matthew 5:7.

1 – The Meaning of Mercy:

What is mercy? There are a number of definitions that could be used, but if we consider all that the Bible has to say about mercy, it comes down to this one definition: [Mercy is love in action.] It is more than just an attitude; it is more than just feeling sorry for people and it is doing something. The Bible teaches us YHVH is a merciful Elohiym. Adonai is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. -- Psalm 145:8. Perhaps one reason we receive mercy when we ourselves are merciful is because we are, in fact, becoming more like Him. As we adopt YHVH’s Character traits as our own, we more readily understand and experience His blessings in our lives.

2 – The Marks of Mercy:

How do I know if I am a merciful person? There are four marks of mercy we need to look at together that will help us to evaluate ourselves to see how merciful we really are.

A -- If I am merciful, I’ll be patient with those who are different:
I believe that in every life some weirdo’s must fall. Maybe their elevators do not go all the way to the top floor. Or maybe they are just extremely obnoxious or rude. How do you handle those kinds of people? What does the Bible say? Now we exhort you brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. -- 1 Thessalonians 5:14. Are you patient with everyone? I'm not! The Bible says if I am merciful, I will be patient with those who are different. How can you be patient with those who are different? You take the time to learn their background. More often than not, when you understand where a person comes from, you stop saying: [Look how far they have got to go] and start saying: [Look how far they have come!] That makes you a little more patient. You look beneath the external behaviour, the goofiness and look at the internal pain. Because behind every peculiar behaviour. There is loneliness, hurt, depression or a kind of anxiety that YHVH says we need to look at. Wherefore receive ye one another, as Moshiach also received us to the glory of YHVH. -- Romans 15:7. Merciful people are accepting people. They are not quick to criticize or to judge. They realize that hurtful people are hunting people.

B -- If I am merciful, I’ll forgive those who have fallen:
When people make mistakes, do you rub it in or do you rub it out? When people let you down, do you hold it over their head for the rest of their life; never let them off the hook? That's not mercy. Forbearing one another and forgiving one another, if any man has a quarrel against any: even as Moshiach forgave you, so also do ye. -- Colossians 3:13. The interesting thing about forgiveness is that when you are called on to receive it, it feels so right; but when you are called on to give it, it feels so wrong. We don't want to forgive people, we want justice. Like the lady who had her picture taken at a photographer. She brought it back and said: [This picture does not do me justice!] The photographer answered: [You do not need justice; you need mercy!] If I am merciful, I will be forgiving to the fallen. It is a lot easier to criticize than it is to sympathize. It is a lot easier to point a finger than it is to lend a helping hand.

C -- If I am merciful, I’ll help those who are hurting:
Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. -- Proverbs 3:27. Mercy is demonstrated through practical assistance. There are people all around us who are hurting. If we look at them and just feel sorry for them, we are not being like Moshiach but when we do something about it, that's being like Moshiach. Remember our definition for Mercy? Mercy is Love in Action. But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of YHVH in him? My little children let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. -- 1 John 3:17-18. I don’t know about you but those verses stab me like a dagger. Don't just say we love people, show it! Do something real! Somebody asked comedian Flip Wilson one time: [What is your religion?] He answered: [I am a Yahveh bystander.] He didn't want to get involved. I know a lot of Yahveh bystanders. Remember the story of the Good Samaritan? The man who was mugged, thrown over to the side of the road? Two people walked by: [We cannot get involved. Sorry about what happened, but we cannot get involved!] A third guy came, took action, took him to the Inn, left his credit to take care of him and said: [I'll pay for it all.] That's mercy! Yeshua is saying: [happy are those who care enough to get involved.] There is another area of hurting people that need our help: They are those people, who for whatever reason are having doubts about YHVH. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. -- Jude 1:24. When you are hurting that is the most likely time you are going to doubt. When you are really hurting, you might say: Where is YHVH? He's not hearing my prayer. Maybe He does not care. Maybe He does not even exist! If you have never had those doubts, that is great, but you are in the minority. What is the Moshiach-like response to people who doubt? You do not debate them: I'm going to prove to you that YHVH exists! You do not demean them, put them down or disown them. You are not a believer if you are having doubts! You do not desert them. What do you do then? You show mercy, be understanding and support them. Show mercy to those who doubt when they are in pain.

D -- If I am merciful, I’ll do good to my enemies:
And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? For sinners also do even the same. But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. 36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. -- Luke 6:33; 35-36. If you want to be like YHVH, be merciful. Do well to those who do evil to you. That is exactly the opposite of what society says. Society says, when people hurt you, hurt them back, get even! Gossip about them, destroy them, anything you can. YHVH says: [Not only do you need to forgive that person, but be nice to the person.] That's what Yeshua would do, but it is hard for us, is it not? You to work and the guy who is constantly criticizing you, who is really a jerk, YHVH says [do good to that person.] How would it be if every time he criticized you, you complimented him? You go to school and those people who are putting you down for being a believer, every time they put you down; you build them up, say something nice to them and encourage them. That would blow their minds! That is what being merciful all is about. You return good for evil. Why? The best way to eliminate an enemy is to turn him into a friend. Smother them with kindness. They don't know how to handle it because the world does not respond that way. They don't know what to do with it. All of a sudden, you are in control of the situation. You are on the offence, not the defence and you are acting, not reacting. Mercy is love in action; it is the way YHVH treats people. That is mercy and it is tough to do. In fact, it is very tough to do and that is why we need some very powerful motivators to become a merciful person.