Mercy Day 20 2x2

Please read Luke 10:25-37 & Luke 6:36

The story is told that Fiorello H. La Guardia, mayor of New York City, one night served as the night court judge in the poorest region of the city. One of the cases involved an elderly woman arrested for stealing bread to feed her grandchildren. La Guardia said, "I’ve got to punish you. Ten dollars or ten days in jail." As he spoke, he threw a ten-dollar bill into his hat. And then asked everyone to contribute 50 cents for living in a city "where a person has to steal bread so that her grandchildren can eat." In the end, the woman left the courtroom with her fine paid and an additional $47.50.

The mighty first-century Romans were known for many things- but not mercy. The Romans considered neither compassion nor mercy a virtue. They believed that mercy was only for the weak, the sick, etc., and they did not show any mercy or compassion. They prided in their strength, power, and courage and they actually believed that the showing of mercy was a weakness. It is the Roman society that Paul describes in Romans 1:31. NIV language of the same verse - they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy.

Now Jesus comes into this Roman world and he teaches about showing mercy, and he shows mercy to the poor, the sinner, and the sick. He also tells others(us) to be merciful (Matthew 5:7). Note the beatitude – it is the only beatitude that shows us we reap what we sow.

Dear brother and sister in Christ, God expects us, His children, to be merciful to others, just as He in His mercy loves us (Ephesians 2:4). Mercy is you and I remembering God’s mercy towards our sinful state and us, and in turn be merciful to others - understanding their weakness.  It is not showing sympathy or expressing words of sympathy. It involves forgiving others because forgiveness is the expression of mercy. Remember Jesus’ question to the ruler after He teaches the Parable of the Good Samaritan? Jesus asks the lawyer “Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” (Luke 10:36). The Man replies ““The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus tells him (and us) “You go, and do likewise”(Luke 10:36). So let’s  remembering our sad state, before God showed his mercy, , do likewise.

Dear Jesus, thank you for your mercy for me and for teaching and demonstrating how to be merciful to others. Strengthen and equip me to do likewise. Amen.