It’s
amazing – though I should not be surprised – how often opportunities to apply
God’s Word to my life come up … shortly after doing a Bible study, preaching a
sermon, or just reading the Scriptures. In my sermon on Sunday (on Matthew 5:7)
I shared with people that I expected that every one of us would encounter an
opportunity (maybe more than one) that very day to be merciful. And, lo and
behold, I had several. Not every need for mercy is deep and world-changing.
Sometimes the situations are small, and even somewhat trivial. Nevertheless,
mercy is still called for.
Joanne
and I were out for a walk in the late afternoon. After coming off the shore
path we began to walk up West Street. As we crossed the street we didn’t move
to the sidewalk immediately and, evidently, slowed down a vehicle behind us
that had just come off the pier. As they drove by us the man in the passenger
side said in a bit of a sarcastic tone, “There’s a sidewalk, you know!” I said
to Joanne, “What did he say?” Immediately I felt the hackles in my neck begin
to rise. I briefly felt a strong desire to call back with some sarcastic
comment like, “Hey, this is my town,
you know!” How foolish, huh? What would have been truly foolish is if I had actually said something. I just kept my
head forward and we kept walking. I didn’t like what he said to us. I could
have responded with a comeback of some kind that I thought he deserved. But the
first thing that came into my mind was the morning message on being merciful,
and the Holy Spirit helped me apply it. It was just a very small thing that
happened very quickly and was over with in a moment. Unfortunately, words and
deeds that began as brief thoughts have shattered lives and destroyed many
things throughout history. Thoughts may come, but they need to be taken captive
spiritually. We need to push them out and/or move on to other thoughts. Otherwise,
they may lead to very unmerciful words and deeds.
Later in
the day we had a neighbor who, once in a while, hosts a party – an extremely
loud party – into the late hours of the night… even to one or two a.m.. Sunday
night a party was going on and my first thought was, “Great! I hope I don’t
have to go over there and complain.” My thoughts were negative and critical.
But I decided to leave it alone and just be still. No sense making a big deal
about something that hasn’t happened yet. And things ended up being pretty
quiet by about 11:00, so I was thankful. But I had to be very intentional about
not letting those initial negative and critical thoughts grow. Another
opportunity to be merciful.
There
were several other opportunities on Sunday. As I said in my sermon, I believe
most us face multiple opportunities for mercy every day. By the power of the
Holy Spirit and the ministry of God’s grace in us we have the resources to be
merciful. And if we cannot (or will not) be merciful in the smaller, less significant
things, we will not be merciful in the larger things – in our relationship
hurts and in all settings where we have the opportunity to show compassion instead
of judgment, and forgiveness instead of retribution.
Thank
God for His great grace and mercy to us: indescribable and wondrous, but
nevertheless true and deep. A focus on that will help any one of us be more
merciful in our daily interactions with people. May it help you and me in our
next one!
Titus 3:4-7 (NIV)
4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior
appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we
had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth
and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us
generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having
been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal
life.
Proverbs 11:17 (KJV) 17 The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that
is cruel troubleth his own flesh.
Luke 6:36 (NIV) 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
2 Corinthians
10:3-5 (NIV) 3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as
the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the
weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish
strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that
sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought
to make it obedient to Christ.
PRAYER: Father, thank you for your mercy in my life.
My need is so great. Thank you that your mercy overflows. May it overflow in me
so much that people will see and receive your mercy working through me, and may
you be glorified in it. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”
Jesus
Christ is Lord!
Scott
