“Our Heavenly Father is far more merciful, infinitely more charitable, than even the best of His servants, and the Everlasting Gospel is mightier in power to save than our narrow, finite minds can comprehend.” – Rev. Orson F. Whitney
“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.” – (Matt 5:7) That means God will extend His grace, benefits and advantages to the person who is MERCIFUL – full of pity and compassion, who acts in accordance with God’s covenant-love and loyalty. Mercy means we don’t get the punishment we deserve. Grace and mercy combined replace penalties with undeserved favor. MERCY is defined as compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm; an event to be grateful for, especially because its occurrence prevents something unpleasant or provides relief from suffering.
One compelling parable on mercy is the Prodigal Son in Luke 15. The son requests that his father give him his inheritance early. Then he foolishly and selfishly squanders his inheritance on a promiscuous and luxuriant lifestyle. He returns ashamed to his father, thinking he would be better off as a servant than to suffer the repercussions of his choices. To his surprise, his father welcomes him back, not as a servant, but as his son. He celebrates his return and restores his position and fortunes, canceling the consequences of his egocentric choices in a jaw dropping display of compassion and love. We’ve all experienced God’s abundant leniency.
GOD’s mercy is usually not in question…OURS is. We only have a demonstration opportunity when someone is at our mercy. In Matthew 18, Peter asks Jesus, “”LORD, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you not not until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.”“(vs. 21-22) He goes on to tell the story of the unmerciful servant who owed his master 10,000 talents (10+ billion dollars). He was about to be sold, along with his wife and children, into slavery but was forgiven. Later, the same servant was owed one hundred denarii (100 days wages, or about $10,000) by a brother, but would not have patience with him and threw him into prison. Jesus told His disciples, “32 Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33 Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ 34 And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. 35 “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.” Jesus commanded us, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” (Luke 6:36)
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