The Mercy Dilemma

The Mercy Dilemma

Read: Matthew 5:7; 18:22-35

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”

Matthew 5:7

“The more godly any man is, the more merciful that man will be.”

—Thomas Benton Brooks

IN WORD Have you ever noticed something odd about how we respond when people offend us? Have you ever really thought about our natural reaction? Our first gut feeling in such cases is to respond in kind, to return ill will for ill will, to rise to the same level of spite with which we’ve been treated. Why is that?

We know the options that are available to us. We could respond with equal offense; we could choose simply not to care; or we could respond with a demonstration of mercy. But almost invariably, our first reaction is to meet evil with evil. We are offended first, and then we have to talk ourselves into a gracious attitude and a merciful response. It is never the other way around, where we first feel merciful and wonder why we aren’t more offended. The natural self has its preferences, and this is one of its strongest. The options are before us, but the impulses know of only one.

Somehow, we must reverse the impulses. We must learn to think of mercy first. How can we do that? How can we alter something that is so ingrained, so unyielding a part of our sinful nature? How can mercy become more natural to us than our sense of vengeance?

IN DEED The key is to ask the question that’s really underneath the others: How can we be more like God? Moses asked for a glimpse of God, and as God passed by, He defined Himself as “the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin” (Exodus 34:6-7). That’s the core of who He is. That’s what we’re really asking here; how can we be more like that?

We have two options: We can try to reform the sinful human nature, or we can ask God for His nature. The former approach has never in history proven successful. You have probably already seen that for yourself, so give it up. Our only remaining option is to ask God. He offers us His nature. We must ask and believe He will give it. He always does.