The Merciful

God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Matthew 5:7

“WHAT GOES AROUND comes around” is a famed maxim of our world. Many glorify revenge stories. We love to see some nasty guy get his comeuppance. Those who get payback, who destroy those who have hurt them, are the ones we watch movies about, the ones we hear about in the news. Often, the stories many tell around the dinner table are how they got back at so-and-so for wronging them.

That is not the way of Christ. When he stood before his enemies and oppressors, he could have called twelve legions of angels to deal with them. But he never took revenge on them. He submitted to their terrors, and in the end, he accomplished the greatest deed in all of human history—the redemption of humankind.

God does not want us to seek revenge. If you want to impress him, give mercy to those you have power over. Offer forgiveness and kindness to those who have hurt you or your loved ones. Show grace and goodness to those who have been hurt and victimized by the nasty, cruel people who roam our world.

God’s promise is simple: if you are a person of mercy, he will grant you mercy when you make a mistake that may hurt others. He will offer you forgiveness and hope because you have done the same for others.