A Show of Mercy
Matthew 5:7 – “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”
Check out these verses from Job 31 starting with verse 16 – If I have refused to give the poor what they desired, or caused the eyes of the widow to fail, 17 – If I ate my morsel of bread myself, and did not share any of it with orphans – 18 – but from my youth I raised the orphan like a father, and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow! 19 – If I have seen anyone about to perish for lack of clothing, or a poor man without a coat, 20 – whose heart did not bless me as he warmed himself with the fleece of my sheep, 21 – If I have raised my hand to vote against the orphan, when I saw my support in the court, 22 – then let my arm fall from the shoulder, let my arm be broken at the socket.
Job was a man of mercy. He gave to the poor and the widow. He shared with orphans raising them as if they were his own children. He gave clothing to the poor and felt the satisfaction of watching them warm up with clothing produced by his own sheep. He took up the cause of the orphan in court even when it would mean losing support for himself.
We are urged by Jesus to be a merciful people for there will come a time when we will need mercy to be shown to us.
Blessed are the merciful. There is not much mercy on display in our world – only people being merciless, seeking support for their own needs causing untold suffering to those around them. There is no blessing in selfishness.
One day we will need mercy from powers greater than ourselves. Let’s be merciful today and secure the blessing of Jesus for it is written in James 2:13 – Judgment is merciless for the one who has shown no mercy. But mercy triumphs over judgment.
Where two are gathered 