"The merciful are blessed, for they will be shown mercy." Matthew 5:7
How wondrous it is to open my Bible and see the words in red. Words spoken by my Savior. This verse is penned in red and is speaking of mercy. Not just receiving mercy, but giving mercy.
What does merciful mean? The good Mr. Webster puts it this way.
Merciful Full of mercy: Compassionate: Providing relief
Mercy compassion or forbearance shown especially to an offender or to one subject to one's power; also : lenient or compassionate treatment and a blessing that is an act of divine favor or compassion;compassionate treatment of those in distress
Compassionate Having or showing compassion; granted because of unusual distressing circumstances affecting an individual —used of some military privileges (as leave)
Compassion Sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it;
Mercy is looking beyond yourself. It's reaching in the depths of your soul and reaching out to gracously touch another with love. It's opening up your heart to another. It's an outward action of love. Mercy is our Savior.
"Because of the Lord's faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!" Lamentations 3:22-23
"For He tells Moses: I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it does not depend on human will or effort but on God who shows mercy." Romans 9:15-16
"But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, made us alive with the Messiah even through we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!" Ephesians 2:4-5
"For you, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy to all them that call on you." Psalm 86:5
"The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works." Psalm 145:9
"Be you therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful." Luke 6:36
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;" Titus 3:5
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy has begotten us again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead," 1 Peter 1:3
"Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:16
"Because of the Lord's faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!" Lamentations 3:22-23
"For He tells Moses: I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it does not depend on human will or effort but on God who shows mercy." Romans 9:15-16
"But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, made us alive with the Messiah even through we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!" Ephesians 2:4-5
"For you, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy to all them that call on you." Psalm 86:5
"The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works." Psalm 145:9
"Be you therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful." Luke 6:36
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;" Titus 3:5
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy has begotten us again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead," 1 Peter 1:3
"Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:16
Mercy points toward our Savior. Mercy brings us together with understanding and grace. It's love in it's purest moment. In loving mercy it takes the hardness out of heart and replaces it with pure love toward others. Shouldn't we be showing mercy to others when our loving Savior continues to show us His mercy new every day? It's a continual action of love. One that we should surrender to and openly give.
It is not up to us to decide who deserves mercy and who doesn't. We can see in scripture that is up to our Savior. Everyone is in need of mercy and is able to receive it. I can't think of one day that I do not look to my Savior for mercy. He is there, ready to give, ready to lift me up, and ready to wash me in His love. It's not that we just show mercy to those we love. That would be pretty easy. It's showing mercy to all. None of us deserve mercy. When we are in need of mercy we cry out to the Lord, but too often, we hold it close and for what ever reason, we feel it's not a need to give to another. But it is. To share the love of Christ is to share mercy with others. May we remember the cross and the payment for our sins. It's not a payment that we must pay. Our Savior stamped our debt, "Paid in full".
"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control." Galatians 5:22-23ab
