Mercy

Growing up in the church I have watched some pretty horrible things done by believers and called "Biblical". I often heard those who claimed to have the gift of prophecy say they didn't have the gift of mercy, basically stepping over the emotionally and spiritually wounded. I watched wondering was this really what God wanted us to be? As a teenager I was afraid to question my elders whom I thought knew more about scripture than I did. As an adult and through a great deal of study I realized making such statements is not only not Biblical but contrary to the character of God. Romans 8:29 tells us God's map for us was to be conformed to the image of Christ. The cross I would most definitely say qualifies as mercy. The gifts have been mischaracterized as possessions instead of "as needed" gifts of power from God and more aptly charismata, results of grace. My ministry happens to be teaching and discipling but I need mercy just as much as I need "logic of knowledge" to convey truth to my students. When we are not the character of Christ we turn people off to the truth. Jesus sent His disciples away in John 4 so that He could speak to the woman at the well. When they came back they were disgusted that He was speaking not just to a Samaritan woman but a woman period. They didn't ask why. Jesus told them that He had food and that food was always to do the will of God who sent Him and to complete that work. The disciples thought that since they didn't say anything they couldn't get in trouble. Jesus rebuked them for their lack of mercy and human reaction to the woman at the well. Mercy is God's will and God's work. James tells us in 2:12-13, "So speak and so keep doing as through a law of liberty being about to be judged. For this reason the Judgement will be unmerciful to the one choosing not to do mercy and mercy boasts against judgment." What mercy we display on earth will stand for us against judgment. But be clear mercy is not being soft hearted, mercy is divine compassion. In Romans 9:15 Paul tells us that God pities those whom He pities and has mercy on whom He has mercy. The difference here are those will let Him show mercy and those who stubbornly reject Him. In Romans 12:1 Paul uses the same Greek word oiktirmos, the noun form, saying "I strongly encourage you through the compassions of God to present your body as a living sacrifice, holy, beyond pleasing to God your reasonable service of worship." We can't fix every one's problems but we can be a friend, a source of encouragement to keep going in Christ, lighting fires under others to beneficial works, to grieve with them when they grieve and rejoice with them when they rejoice. Most of all we are to be a living gospel. Years ago I had a friend who had lost pretty much all of her friends because of her spiritual immaturity. I was the last one and she called me one night to accuse me of hurting her feelings. I was annoyed and ready to just throw the towel in BUT GOD!!! He calmed me down and instead of saying she didn't have the right to be hurt I asked her if I had ever said anything like that in the past (what she thought I was implying) and she thought for a moment and said no. I asked her had I always shown consideration for what she endured growing up and she again agreed that was the case. I then told her what God had done in my own life and that I was convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt God could do the same in hers. I didn't lose that friendship and I actually gained a student. I learned a valuable lesson. Even if I didn't intend to be hurtful my carelessness with my speech could be interpreted as hurtful. To this day if I think I said something that could be taken wrong I go to that person and apologize. People look at me like I've lost my mind but then I see them relax because they are glad to know I think they are important. I have gained more students through my kindness and compassion than through my teaching. The reason being, my teaching is punctuated with the character of God.