“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.” Matthew 5:7

These Beatitudes are attitudes that ought to be. Mercy is not just softness, and it is not just mere sentiment. Mercy is compassion in action.

The Beauty of Mercy

The quality of mercy is one of the most beautiful characteristics of God. When you’re merciful, you’re acting like God. It is of the LORD’s mercies that we’re not consumed because His compassions fail not. God links mercy with compassion: They are new every morning. Lamentations 3:22-23

An Earthly Picture of Mercy

Jesus and the Lawyer

Luke 10:25–28 Jesus makes it clear who the neighbor is, and what mercy is. Mercy is action. A man went from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves. Luke 10:30 They beat him, and left him half-dead. A certain priest, saw him, and he passed by on the other side. The priests are the religious people of the day. They represent ritualism. Then a Levite walked by. He saw him, and he passed by. They were keepers of the law. They represent rules. A Samaritan came along. They were considered an inferior race, left behind after the captivity. The Jews despised them. This Samaritan showed mercy, and helped him. He represents mercy.

Jesus asked that lawyer a question: “Which of these showed mercy?” Jesus Christ has shown every one of us mercy. Mercy is not softness or sentimentality; it is not just action or service, but it IS compassion in action.

There are three groups of people in Byron, and in this world, and wherever you may go: beater-uppers, passer-uppers, and picker-uppers

 The beater-uppers rob, rumor, judge, and destroy.
 The passer-uppers just do their own thing, not concerned enough to help anyone but themselves.
And lastly, thank the Lord, there are picker-uppers.
 The picker-uppers show mercy by loving & doing something.

A Biblical Basis for Mercy

Every action must be based on truth.
There can be no mercy without truth.

Mercy and truth are together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Psalms 85:10 When we show mercy, we still can never minimize sin. When we
show mercy, we do withhold judgment. But when we withhold judgment, that means that judgment is really needed, really expected. Mercy is the withholding of judgment, but it is not the rejection or alteration of truth. Have you ever heard anyone say: Is it “fair” for God to do this, or God to do that?

God is not always fair.

We should be eternally grateful that God is not always fair! He is often merciful. God is not fair, but God is just and merciful. The justice of God says that sin must be punished. Once you see that truth, then you cry out for mercy. That is the first beatitude—poor in spirit God is not some willy-nilly sentimentalist who just randomly says, “Well that is just too bad. Yes, you’ve sinned, but I’m a merciful God. That’s all right, nothing has to be done about it.” That would not be the truth. Something had to be done, So God sent His one and only Son, Jesus. Thank goodness, God does not deal with us on the basis of fairness. God deals with us on the basis of mercy. We don’t deserve anything, yet He offers mercy.

Misconceptions of Mercy

Some try to interpret this verse legalistically, to say that they can obtain mercy from God only by showing mercy in the sense that they earn God’s favor by themselves being favorable to others. This beatitude is about heart and attitude.

It does not matter how much mercy you show. If you refuse the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, there’s no eternal hope for you. You will not be able at Judgment day, after you refused Jesus, to expect or demand mercy from God, just because you occasionally showed mercy.

He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses. Many will try to say, ‘well that’s Old Testament, I live under grace now.’ Now, of how much sorer, how much more radical, deep punishment, suppose you, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God? Hebrews 10:28–29

Mercy Received Results In Mercy Shown

Jesus here is giving blessings. That does not mean that we are forgiven because we show pity or mercy to someone. It does mean we show mercy because we are ourselves forgiven, we have been shown mercy by God. With the merciful you will show yourself merciful; with an upright man you will show yourself upright. Psalms 18:25

The more mercy we show, the more mercy we get. But, we cannot get it until we have first come the route of being poor in spirit, repenting of our sin, yielding to God, receiving Jesus Christ, God’s righteousness. When we receive that great mercy from God, we are able to show it in love to others.

Those who have received mercy know how to show it more than anyone else. If we have not received mercy, then it is no wonder we don’t show mercy. Receive God’s love & mercy, and be sure to share it.