Blessed are the merciful!

"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy." - Jesus (Matthew 5:7)

Webster's Dictionary defines "mercy" in the following terms - "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". That is pretty good, but the Greek word used here (eleemon) carries with it more than what our word "mercy" might communicate. "Sympathetic" (Blessed are the sympathetic) could also be used, but it still comes up short. So, since one word leaves us wanting, let's try a thought... sympathy that is felt for someone and drives us to actions toward that person. The idea here is that we will "do" something based upon the feelings that we have. It is empathy! It is not just a feeling, but it requires positive action to be taken to aid the person.

This concept of "mercy" went against the culture and the religious teaching of Jesus' day. The Romans despised pity and they considered mercy to be a sign of weakness. They considered it to be the worst of all human frailties. They glorified manliness, and to them mercy demonstrated a lack of it! The religious leaders of Jesus day were devoid of mercy. They were self-righteous, arrogant and judgmental. In their minds, suffering was God's judgment against an individual, so why show mercy if God didn't? (see Luke 13:1-5) But Jesus stood to call people back to God's view of mercy, His desire for how one person was to treat another in their time of need.

Mercy is certainly one of God's great characteristics. Jesus identified mercy as one of the "weightier provisions of the Law" - “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. (Matthew 23:23) This beatitude reflects the heart of God seen in Proverb 14:21 - He who despises his neighbor sins; But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he.

Jesus promises those that show "mercy" shall receive "mercy". I don't know about you, but I am going to need God's mercy. I recon that if giving mercy in turn gets mercy, the opposite must also be true - withhold mercy and mercy shall be withheld from you. In fact, we have that teaching a little later on in 6:15 - but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses and in James 2:13 - For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. Our expression of mercy to others is directly proportional to the love we feel for our fellow man. In the same way, God's mercy towards us is an expression of His love for us. He gives us what we need, rather than what we deserve. Mercy and grace are so closely related that I have a hard time separating them. Haddon Robinson put it like this, "grace is God's reaction to our sinfulness; mercy is his reaction to our misery". John MacArthur says this, Mercy deals with symptoms, grace with the curse. Mercy offers relief from punishment; grace offers pardon for the crime. Mercy eliminates the pain; grace cures the disease".

Whatever the details, we are called on to be mercy givers! Our pity, our sympathy must drive us to action. And, our actions must be such that pain is relieved, needs are met and people are told of the life changing, soul saving love of Christ. That is mercy - Giving what we have been blessed with to help those in need of a blessing. Let's get busy demonstrating mercy!