Matthew 5:3-13
.jpg)
Let's continue with our discovery of how the Beatitudes offer insights into the savour of the believer's salt. This week we have reached verse 7 in Matthew chapter 5:
'Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy'
What do you think of when somebody uses the word 'mercy'?
I think of pity, compassion and forgiveness. Strong's concordance suggests that it is feeling sympathy for somebody's misery. When we are merciful we take action to lessen or remove somebody's suffering.
Jesus is telling us that having the characteristic of being merciful brings happiness because we likewise shall obtain mercy.
It reminds me of Jesus's counsel to his disciples regarding prayer and forgiveness, 'When ye stand praying forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses' (Mark 11:25,26).
Later in Matthew 18 we read of a parable concerning being forgiving and merciful to each other:
A certain servant owed the king money and was unable to pay. When the king ordered him and his family to be sold the servant begged for mercy which the king kindly gave, forgiving him his debt. But then that same servant went and held a fellow servant by the throat demanding that they paid him money which they owed him. But when they fell at his feet asking for mercy he had them thrown into prison. Other servants observed this injustice and told the king who was furious. He called for the servant he had forgiven, asked why he hadn't shown pity towards his fellow servant like the king had to him, and then had him delivered to the tormentors until he could pay his debt.
Jesus tells us that likewise we will be treated by God if we do not forgive others 'from our hearts' when they sin against us.
But this is hard. Sometimes we think that we have forgiven somebody. Or perhaps we think that we are generally merciful - feeling sympathy for the misery of those around us, doing what we can to help them. But are we really?
Has there been any occasions recently in which there were requests or expectations for you to do certain things to help a person or people? But because of a hidden grudge, or fear of hurt, or unforgiveness for past sins against you, you didn't want to relieve that person or situation of the misery although it was in your power?
Perhaps you were thinking that they didn't deserve it, or that you would be taken advantage of.
Did your conscience prick you?
Did you groan to the Lord for help knowing that things were not right between you and Him?
Sometimes the Lord may then speak to us from a convicting word as we read the Bible or listen to a sermon - or he opens our eyes to his mercy to us - which is so underserved, and smites our heart with shame, guilt and realisation at how we are being to others.
As James says we might be unknowingly deceiving ourselves (regarding the reality of our mercifulness), 'Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves' (James 1:22).
When our eyes are opened how it grieves us!
How our hearts are softened as we weep before the Lord asking for his forgiveness for our hard spirit, for our lack of mercy!
How are eyes are opened to understand that it was our old nature that was influencing us - not the new nature of Christ given to us by Him.
The savour of salt when influenced by our old nature is only good for being thrown away. The evidence of the savour of that inward work of grace in the heart of the Lord's children shows compassion and pity on the misery of those around them.
It lessens their load and pain whether it is a listening ear, doing a pile of ironing, paying a bill for them, taking their children out for the day or whatever is needed and within your power.
And perhaps you think that you can't be merciful in this instance. You have not the strength or the ability or the means. But if the Lord is pricking your conscience or working in you a strong desire to be merciful, trust him dear reader.
Trust him - that as we were saying in part 3 - God really is good, he really is in control of all things, and he can give you whatever you need according to his will for you, that as he has been merciful to you, so you may be merciful to another.
As Micah 7:18 tells us, God '...delighteth in mercy'. God loves to relieve our suffering misery - our misery of the guilt of our sins, of our providential problems. Isn't this lovely - that he finds pleasure in relieving our guilt and misery. Don't you wish you were more like him in our behaviour to others?! That our salt might have more of the savour of Christ, that we might be better witnesses of him?
Let us come to him and ask him to give us more of his Spirit, more of his love, that we might be more like him and known for our forgiving, kind spirit, helping others in their troubles - for the glory of God.
Enjoyed this post?
Subscribe for weekly content
Comments
Post a Comment