Widening Our Mercy

We often wish to prenounce judgement, catch someone breaking the law, and tell people off for their injury against us. Ironically, we expect full mercy when we do the same infractions, “You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.” (Romans 2:1). This duplicity is because we inherit the folly of our ancestors. We try to judge good and evil, because Adam and Eve partook of the fruit of the knowlrdge of good and evil. And yet God who is the only Good (Mark 10:18) asks us not to judge hastily, “Do not judge and criticize and condemn [others unfairly with an attitude of self-righteous superiority as though assuming the office of a judge], so that you will not be judged [unfairly]. For just as you [hypocritically] judge others [when you are sinful and unrepentant], so will you be judged; and in accordance with your standard of measure [used to pass out judgment], judgment will be measured to you. Why do you look at the [insignificant] speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice and acknowledge the [egregious] log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me get the speck out of your eye,’ when there is a log in your own eye? You hypocrite (play-actor, pretender), first get the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:1-5, AMP) 

There is a powerful song by the late Rich Mullins that begins, “There is wideness in God’s mercy that I cannot find in my own.” (The Love of God). These lines contain so much truth, God has shown us great mercy by taking our punishment on the cross for our sins, making us able to be close to him and inherit eternal life. And yet many Christian brothers and sisters are not paragons of mercy, but instead punish and relish judging others. The problem is as old as the Church with the apostle Paul giving the warning, “But if you bite and devour one another [in bickering and strife], watch out that you [along with your entire fellowship] are not consumed by one another.“ (Galatians 5:15 AMP). We are prone to doing this, to tear down one another to feel better about ourselves. 

Jesus Christ our Lord said, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.” (Matthew 4:7). 

That is a promise from our Savior. Do you want mercy? Then show it! 

Rich Mullin’s song continues with the lines about the saints saying, “Ever widening their mercies.” This should be our aim. As we age in the faith and life, we should be able to see the frailty of people and be merciful. There is a time for justice and punishment, of course, but that is not to be our default! Remember the words of Christ our Lord on the cross, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34). Our Lord knows many motives can turn people sour like trauma, abuse, loss, persecution, devils, and etc. 

We need to look at people with God’s eyes. That He is merciful and so should we be. For a evil regime rose that had no mercy, no tolerance, it was called The Third Reich, the Nazis, and they crushed everyone with their cruelty and merciless philosophy. 

I wish to iterate I am not saying be steam rolled or turn the other cheek tell you are broken into clay. There is a moment to put on the hat of justice, but if our heart is not inclined to mercy, if we wish to take out our pain on another through the arm of justice, then we become broken justice and corrupt. We must be ready to show mercy if we can, widen our mercies as God does for us with all our faults. Amen.