How Merciful Are We

 We don’t always have to talk about cancer do we? :)…I am so eager to share some of my mum’s teachings here too. Read on… “The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.” (Psalms 145:8 KJV)

The mercy of God makes you victorious! What is mercy? Mercy is love in action. It is more than an attitude and much more than feeling sorry for people. It entails doing something. “God is kind and merciful, slow to get angry and full of love.“Psalm 145:8. You must be merciful. You may ask how do I know if I am showing mercy? There are four marks of mercy. You can evaluate yourself to see how merciful you are.

1. If I am merciful, I will be patient with those who are peculiar.
I believe that in every life some things may not go your way or be the way you want them.  How do you handle those kinds of “difficult” people? What does the Bible say? 1 Thes. 5:14 “…Encourage the timid, help the weak, and be patient with everyone.” Are you patient with everyone? The Bible says if I am merciful, I will be patient with those who are peculiar. How can you be patient with those who are peculiar? First you must study their background.

When you understand a persons background, you stop judging them and even make excuses for their flaws because you have a better understanding of what they have been through. It makes you a little more patient. You look beneath the external behavior and look at the internal pain because behind every peculiar behavior, there is some form of loneliness, hurt, depression, or a kind of anxiety that God says we need to look at. The Bible says, “Accept each other, in the Lord, even as Christ has accepted you.” Merciful people are tolerant and they have a large heart. They are neither quick to criticize or judge.

2. If I am a Merciful person, I will forgive those who have fallen.
When people make mistakes, do you rub it in? Or you rub it out? When people let you down, do you hold it over their head for the rest of their life, never letting them off the hook? That is not mercy. “Be gentle and ready to forgive, never hold grudges. Remember the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” Colossians 3:13

The amazing thing about forgiveness is when you are called to receive it, it feels so right but when you are called to give it, it feels so wrong.  Most of us would say “I do not want to forgive people, I want justice, “You do not need justice, you need mercy!” If you are patient, you will forgive those who have fallen. It is a lot easier to criticize than it is to sympathize. Many of us are guilty of pointing fingers instead of lending a helping hand.

Be merciful, tolerant, patient and forgiving. Imbibe the habit of being merciful and you will enjoy tremendous victory.

Part 2 of this teaching coming soon.