APPLICATIONS #3 AND #4 - MERCY

"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." Matthew 5:7 (CSB)

Well, how did you like what you saw in yourself yesterday? Applications #1 and #2 of what mercy is, they can be challenging. Being patient with the peculiar and forgiving the fallen, challenged us. Today we will look at the last two in our study.

3.     If I’m a merciful person, I’ll help those who are hurting.

Prov. 3:27- "Do not withhold good from those who need it, when it is in your power to act."

Remember, mercy is practical assistance. It’s love in action. When we only feel sorry for someone, when we have the power to help, we are not being like Christ.

I like John Wesley’s motto: "Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, to all the people you can, as long as you can." That’s biblical- Gal. 6:10- "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people..."

When someone is hurting a merciful person doesn’t mind getting involved! Jesus is saying, "Happy are those who get involved."

4.     There is a 4th mark of mercy, and this is the hardest of all. If I am merciful, I’ll do good to my enemies.

Now, you might say, "Oh, no, Doc, can’t we skip this one?"

A tangible mark of spiritual maturity is when you can do good to your enemies.

Now, that is exactly the opposite of what the world says. The world says, "When people hurt you, hurt them back." "I don’t get mad, I get even."

God says, "No, that’s being a reactor. Mercy is action, not reaction." And He says, not only are we to forgive them, we are to do good to them. Now, I know this is easy to talk about but hard to do. Jesus says that one of mercy’s identifying marks is doing good to those who hurt us.

Do you know the best way to destroy an enemy? Make him your friend. You can do that by doing good to them in spite of what they do to you.

So, there you have it – four ways to show mercy – to be merciful. We are to be patient with the peculiar, forgiving of the fallen, helpful to the hurting and good to those who hurt us. That’s mercy. How do I stack up to this? How do you?