Tag Archives: Matt5:7

The Merciful – Sat – 21-09-25

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Do you ever look in the closet trying to decide what to wear? Usually, we think about the activities of the day, right? If working in the yard, we dress differently than going to a wedding or a ballgame. We also think about the weather. Will it be hot, comfortable or cold? Will it be windy, rainy, calm? And for some of us, we also have to ask, what’s clean, right? These questions help narrow down our choices. Sometimes we may still dither over one garment or another. But once the decision is made, we clothe ourselves.

Now, what about your inner self? If you are looking for a list of things with which to “clothe” your character, you should look at Colossians 3:12. It says, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” (NIV)

Did you notice the word compassion? That is the same concept as mercy. In the Beatitudes, Jesus promised mercy to the merciful. God also told us that he desires mercy more than sacrifice. Listen to Hosea 6:6, “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.” Jesus used this verse to rebuke the Pharisees.

So, clothe your character with mercy. Use whatever power you have to help alleviate the problems of people, even if they don’t deserve it. That’s the mercy God shows to us.

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The Merciful – Fri – 21-09-24

Daily Spark,

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Do you know what it means to be rich? The definition can shift. The number of dollars required to be rich in 1921 was vastly different than today. So, here’s a simple definition of rich — having a lot. Rich people have a lot of money, a lot of cars, a lot of clothes, a lot of jewelry, a lot of space in their house – even a lot of houses! That’s what we usually think of when we hear the word rich – someone with a lot.

But people can be rich in other things as well. If I say someone is rich in family, don’t you think of someone surrounded by smiling, loving people? If I say someone is rich with happiness, you probably visualize someone who is elated, beaming with joy. So, what do you think of when you hear the phrase “rich in mercy”? You should think of God. That’s how he is described in Ephesians 2:4-5, “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions —it is by grace you have been saved.” (NIV)

In other words, God has a lot of mercy! He is rich with mercy. His mercy is connected with his love and grace. Aren’t you glad? Instead of chasing the riches of wealth, perhaps we should try to be rich in mercy!

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The Merciful – Thu – 21-09-23

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We are focused this week on the Beatitude found in Matthew 5:7, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”(NIV) My work to uncover the nuances of mercy led to a surprise. I wanted to look at Jesus as an example of mercy. He is a great example – that is not a surprise! But the surprise was in Hebrews 2:17, which reads, “For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.”

You see, I knew Jesus needed to be faithful to God to give his life as a sacrifice. It was not easy to face the cross. But Jesus was faithful. So how did his becoming human lead to being a merciful priest in his service to God? Hmm. I think the clue is in the next verse, “Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”  Jesus’ experience in this life made him more sympathetic to the struggles we face. He is compassionate. This concern for the suffering of others and willingness to alleviate it is the very definition of mercy.

If we are to be merciful, then we need be compassionate with others.

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The Merciful – Wed – 21-09-22

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Have you noticed that athletics run in the family? Sometimes championships even run in the family. Archie Manning was a quarterback in the NFL for 13 seasons, mostly with the New Orleans Saints. His two sons, Payton and Eli, have also been quarterbacks in the NFL. Both of the boys have two Super Bowl victories each. *

Or consider the Griffeys in Major League Baseball. Ken Griffey Sr. made the All Star team three times. His son Ken Griffey Jr. was an All Star 13 times. At one point, both father and son played for the Mariners. In one game they hit back-to-back homers. They are the only father-son duo to accomplish the feat.

Then there are the Earnhardts in NASCAR racing. Ralph Earnhardt won the 1956 National Sportsman division. His son, Dale Earnhardt Sr., was won the Winston Cup seven times. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has won over 25 victories in stock car racing, including the Daytona 500 twice.

It seems almost cliché to say “like father like son.” But it is so true. Sons often look like and act like their fathers, even when it involves sports. If we are to be merciful, like the Beatitudes urge, then we need to take after our heavenly Father. Or, as Luke 6:36 says, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” (NIV)

*All examples from: “Athletes and Their Athlete Fathers,” Sports Illustrated, June 8, 2015, https://www.si.com/sports-illustrated/2015/06/08/athletes-and-their-athlete-fathers#gid=ci025587d770012781&pid=eli-peyton-and-archie-manning.

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The Merciful – Tue – 21-09-21

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You’ve seen a cell phone tower, right. Can you imagine being 225 feet up a 359 foot tower? You are strapped to the tower working on the equipment there. Now imagine you are 225 feet up the tower when a section topples off the top and snaps a guy wire, causing the entire tower to collapse! This actually happened to Uriah King. He survived, but suffered a broken left ankle, broken right leg and multiple pelvic fractures. He endured six surgeries to install plates and rods in his pelvis and legs. Can you imagine the therapy he had to fight through?! After months of healing, King is walking again. But there’s more. He is not only walking again, but playing high school football! King has triumphed over his injuries.*

Think of that word triumph. It is used in connection with mercy. If we are going to live the Beatitude that says “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Matthew 5:7 NIV) we have to understand where mercy triumphs. James tells us in James 2:12-13, “Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”

So, do you want to be a winner when facing judgement? Then be merciful!

*Derrick Stuckly, “Uriah King Makes Triumphant Return To Football 14 Months After 225-Foot Tower Fall,” Brownwood News, August 16,2021, https://www.brownwoodnews.com/2021/08/16/uriah-king-makes-triumphant-return-to-football-14-months-after-225-foot-tower-fall/.

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The Merciful – Mon – 21-09-20

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What does it mean to be merciful? Have you ever seen a business book extolling the value of mercy as an attribute of a leader? I think most people don’t think they need to be more merciful. Or more likely, they never think of mercy as an important attribute to possess. If that is the case, how can we live the Beatitude in Matthew 5:7, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy”?

Are you like me? I find being merciful a challenge. Oh, don’t get me wrong! I’m not harsh and cruel. But I like things to be fair. I want people to uphold the terms of an agreement. But mercy is not fair! It flows from compassion for people. Compassion is disconnected from fairness.

One person who displays compassion and mercy is God. When God gave laws to the ancient nation of Israel, he said in Exodus 22:25-27, “If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not treat it like a business deal; charge no interest. If you take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge, return it by sunset, 27 because that cloak is the only covering your neighbor has. What else can they sleep in? When they cry out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.” God’s compassion requires treating others with mercy.

How’s your mercy? If you want to receive mercy, then show mercy.

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The Merciful – Sun – 21-09-19

Daily Spark,

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Jesus said in Matthew 5:7, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”(NIV) This Beatitude is our focus this week. Mercy is the release of another from a negative situation or release from consequences for their action. For example, if a person breaks the law, they are subject to punishment. This may be in the form of a fine or imprisonment. If the court shows mercy, they are released from that punishment, or it is greatly reduced. Mercy can also be shown to those who owe a financial debt. The debtor may plead for mercy, meaning they want the debt forgiven or the due date extended.

But mercy is not always related to people who are guilty or owe something. People who were sick or blind often cried out to Jesus for relief. They said, “Have mercy on us!” One instance begins in Matthew 20:30. Two blind men on the edge of Jericho wanted Jesus to heal them. He did.

This shows us that the key to mercy is this: it is granted by one who has power in the situation. The two blind men cried for mercy because Jesus had the power to heal. A judge can show mercy because he has the power to sentence another for a crime. If we are to live this Beatitude, we need to show mercy to others, whether those in need or those who have offended us.

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