Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Matthew 5:7, NRSV.
The Bible is insistent about treating others with mercy and promises that those who do not show mercy toward their fellow humans will not be treated with mercy by God. James says that “judgement will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy,” James 2:13.
Jesus taught us to pray, “forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us. For if you forgive others…your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive you,” Matthew 6:12-15.
However, it is not enough to limit our mercy to forgiving others when they sin against us. Jesus used the Greek word, ἐλεήμονες, which derives its meaning from the ancient Hebrew word, chesedh which is an untranslatable word. It does not mean to simply sympathize with a person or feel sorry for them in the popular sense.
Chesedh means the ability to see things with their eyes and to feel things with their feelings. In this nuance we can see the difference between mercy and pity. Mercy is deliberate and focused identification with the other person. A person who has this sort of intention toward others is less likely to enter into judging, warned against by Jesus.
This mercy is hard work, especially in a vindictive and judgmental world such as ours. Nevertheless, when we adopt this attitude there are certain benefits that accrue. They are:
- It saves us from being kind in the wrong way. William Barclay illustrated this in the story of Martha who spent her time in the kitchen cooking Jesus a delicious meal – a kind gesture. But not what Jesus wanted or needed. Mary supplied that by sitting and listening to him. Mercy.
- Showing mercy makes forgiveness and tolerance easier. Why? There is always a reason why people think and act as they do. Mercy seeks to understand the reason.
- We come to understand that, in the last analysis, this sort of knowing is what God did in Jesus Christ. God got inside the skin of human beings by coming as a human and experiencing the human life.
To conclude, mercy is intentional. It is practiced by someone who does not judge, assume, or jump to false conclusions. Rather, mercy is looking into and even beyond another person, always wanting to understand what experiences had shaped that person’s thinking or behavior.
Jesus said that a merciful person will be treated with mercy as well. And we always stand in need of mercy.
Prayer:
Father in heaven, the ultimate act of mercy occurred when you entered human form and live as we live. Ultimate understanding. Ultimate sympathy or feeling with. Please teach us and help us to learn to treat others as you have treated us. Amen.