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bigmike

Receiving and Giving Mercy
“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy”
Matthew 5:7
So what, exactly, is “mercy”…and why is it so important?
Mercy is compassion in action.
The story of the Good Samaritan is a great example of compassion in action. When the Good Samaritan approaches the beaten man to begin with, the Samaritan is riding, and the man is on the ground. But after the Good Samaritan helps him, they switch places. The man is riding, and the Samaritan is walking. What a picture of mercy…Jesus takes our place and we take His!
Mercy is the withholding of judgment.
Sometimes Christians confuse showing mercy with minimizing sin. I’ve often heard the phrase, “That’s not fair!” But God doesn’t deal with us on the basis of fairness. God deals with us on the basis of mercy.
We don’t deserve anything. If God, in His great love has forgiven us, how much more should we forgive one another?
There can be no mercy without truth.
All real mercy is rooted in truth. Psalm 85:10 proclaims, “Mercy and truth met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.”
The quality of mercy is one of the most beautiful characteristics of God. And when you’re merciful, you’re acting like Him.

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