Disciples Seek to be Merciful
Matthew 5:7
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. ~ Jesus
One area of mercy relates to offenses. Mercy is one of the most powerful gifts to share with someone who has hurt or offended you. It is both freeing and redemptive.
It is also one of the most powerful and vindictive things you can do by withholding if you choose do to so.
Too often disciples who claim to follow Jesus don't actually follow His teaching about being merciful. Jesus instructs His disciples to do so, warning that unless we are merciful, God will not be merciful to us. This beatitude acknowledges the blessing of being merciful. In this case, the bible describes a contrasting curse that comes with choosing an unmerciful attitude.
Jesus Himself describes it in the parable of the unmerciful servant (see Matthew 18:21-35). Pray that you and those you love can be people of mercy.
Matthew 18:21-35
The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant
21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.
29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’
30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.
32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
Prayer For the Week
Lord God, You are full of mercy, abounding in it even as You maintain Your justice regarding sin. Teach us to be like You, full of mercy toward those we deal with, to the point of personal sacrifice, even as we also yearn for justice in life’s circumstances. We ask it in the name of Jesus, who is emblematic of mercy at great cost. Amen.
New Testament Overviews: Matthew 1-13
Matthew begins with a genealogy that shows Jesus as a descendant from the line of David, a king and a fulfillment of God’s covenant promises to David and all of Israel. Matthew’s gospel account shows readers how the promises and prophecies God made to his people in the Old Testament came to pass through Jesus.
https://bibleproject.com/videos/matthew-1-13/
Micro-Meditation
Psalm 119: Immersed in the Word of God
Psalm 119:89-96 12th letter: Lamed (ל)
- Your word, Lord, is eternal;
it stands firm in the heavens. - Your faithfulness continues through all generations;
you established the earth, and it endures. - Your laws endure to this day,
for all things serve you. - If your law had not been my delight,
I would have perished in my affliction. - I will never forget your precepts,
for by them you have preserved my life. - Save me, for I am yours;
I have sought out your precepts. - The wicked are waiting to destroy me,
but I will ponder your statutes. - To all perfection I see a limit,
but your commands are boundless.
Read the verses of the Psalm.
Mark the words or phrases that catch your attention.
Meditate: talk (or better, write) with God about those words. Ask him to impress things upon your heart and mind; expect responses.
Pondering Point
The letter Lahmed is a traditional symbol of learning, particularly for the heart. The writer’s salvation is tied in this section to having learned the precepts of God.