12 JUNE

GODLY WISDOM MAKES US SHOW MERCY

“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy…”

(James 3:17)

Mercy may be described as an act of kindness, compassion and forgiveness to an offender who rightly deserves punishment; an act that puts someone out of misery. God is merciful to those of us who accept His Lordship but at Christ’s expense. There is a price for sin! Mercy comes at a price, inconvenience or sacrifice to someone! Christ paid the price for the guilty so the guilty can receive forgiveness! Because we receive mercy, we are enjoined to give the same to others, in order to glorify God. Godly wisdom makes us willing to pay some price to show mercy! 

Let me share with you the story of “A Sympathetic Visitor”.  A big, burly man visited the pastor’s home and asked to see the wife, a woman well known for her charitable impulses. “Madam,” he said in a broken voice, “I wish to draw your attention to the terrible plight of a poor family in this district. The father is dead, the mother is too ill to work, and the nine children are starving. They are about to be turned into the cold, empty streets, unless someone pays their rent, which amounts to N40,000.”

“How terrible!” exclaimed the preacher’s wife. “May I ask who you are?” The sympathetic visitor applied his handkerchief to his eyes. “I’m the landlord,” he sobbed. What a man! Was he really sympathetic? How do people pretend to care as long as it doesn’t affect them? Mercy is that he would sacrificed something himself.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy” (Matthew 5:7). There are rewards for obeying God.

ACTION: Show mercy in words and in deeds.

PRAYER Lord, help me to be merciful to others as you have shown us mercy, so that I may receive your blessings.