Be Merciful

“The unthankful heart discovers no mercies; but the thankful heart will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings.”

—HARRIET BEECHER STOWE

The merciful, kind, and generous man benefits himself [for his deeds return to bless him], but he who is cruel and callous [to the wants of others] brings on himself retribution.

—Proverbs 11:17

Another way to simplify your life, increase your peace, and improve relationships is to be merciful. God tells us in His Word to put on behavior that is marked by “tenderhearted pity and mercy” (Colossians 3:12). We are to be kind, long-suffering, and ready to forgive. Being hard-hearted, legalistic, and rigid only makes us miserable and does not win us friends.

Mercy cannot be deserved; it is a gift given to one who does not deserve it. God is merciful and it is because of His great mercy we are not consumed by our own sin (see Lamentations 3:22). God never expects us to give away something we do not have, so He gives us mercy first and then expects us to let it flow through us to other people. Be a giver and be generous in mercy!

If we don’t make the decision to be merciful then we have no option but to be angry most of the time. The fact is, people are not perfect and everywhere you go you will find they make mistakes. We must all realize that not only do we have to deal with people who are irritating, but they also have to deal with us. We rarely see ourselves the way others do. We may think we are the perfect example of how a person should be, but I can assure you, it’s not true. The Bible actually says we judge others for the same things we do (see Romans 2:1). We look at ourselves through rose-colored glasses, but we look at others through a magnifying glass. There is always an excuse for our wrong behavior, but for other people, there is no excuse!

Showing mercy means showing compassion and heartfelt concern for others. It doesn’t always come easy for everyone, but it is important just the same. Mercy makes the soul meek; by reaching out to other people, we remind ourselves how good it is to find mercy.

When we make an effort to have a merciful attitude, not only do we please God, we save ourselves a lot of turmoil. God’s ways are simple and peaceful, and He says to be merciful even as He is merciful. It may not always seem fair to show mercy when you feel someone deserves judgment, but God’s ways always bring a reward in the end.