Mercy Me - a band, and a great way to live
9/24/2009 11:38:41 PM
Good Morning. Mercy. . . the word has continued to resonate in my mind since last we met. James remarks in 2.13, "...judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!"


Good Morning.


Mercy. . . the word has continued to resonate in my mind since last we met. James remarks in 2.13, "...judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!" The common dictionary definition of mercy is 'compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm.' More often than not, the term mercy is used interchangeably with compassion, but alas it is more than that; when it would seem like one might expect judgment, the judge decides to pardon him, give him mercy. "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." Matthew 5.7 (part of the Beatitudes that Jesus gave us from the Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew and Luke) I want to be shown mercy... do you? Then, we must practice being merciful to others. As for forgiveness. . . because as we see, forgiveness is part of mercy. . . do you and I extend forgiveness? Oh, the forgiveness might not be deserved, often is not even solicited; nonetheless, we are called to forgive. I think of some of the residual pain I have from my dad's 'lack' as a parent--I have had to learn to forgive him (though he never asked, and he is deceased now), because I do not want to carry bitterness or be crippled by unforgiveness in my heart. After Jesus teaches the disciples how to pray (The Lord's Prayer-also in Matthew 6), He says, "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." Matthew 6.14-15. Here's a thought--does any unforgiveness that I harbor in my heart make it more difficult for me to be merciful in general? Get alone with yourself, with God--ask Him if you have matters to resolve, people to forgive. . . I guess it could even be yourself. . . do you continue to beat yourself up for sins of your past? Maybe it is time for you to accept God's forgiveness and be free; if not, you choose to be a cripple.


Let me zoom back out now--as some of you know, I traveled to Orlando a few weeks back to attend the Christian Retailers' Show; many new books were distributed there--so yes, I paid an extra $50 for my baggage to get home! One book and its premise caught my attention, and I have now cracked its cover. . . Some books are meant for enjoyment, others enrichment, and still others because they impart something that heretofore might not have been known. This book, UNChristian, falls into the latter category. Simply, the two young writers seek to educate followers of Christ about how folks view Christians today. To say it is disturbing is an understatement. Interestingly enough, the information fits quite nicely with where we are in James chapter 2, having just looked at favoritism/judgment/discrimination that believers ought not to embody vs. mercy, and just before we look at the connection between our faith and our deeds, in the second half of chapter 2. From the research conducted and imparted in UNChristian, I'd like to highlight the three strongest negative images 'outsiders' have of Christians: Hypocritical - Outsiders consider us hypocritical--saying one thing and doing another--and they are skeptical of our morally superior attitudes; Judgmental - Outsiders think of Christians as quick to judge others; Antihomosexual - Outsiders say that Christians are bigoted and show disdain for gays and lesbians. (of course, this one just piggybacks on the trait before it) A lot of negativity, eh? Christians are primarily perceived for what they stand against. We have become famous for what we oppose, rather than who we are for. Bottom line is this: so many people consider the folks they know who call themselves Christians to be most un-Christian. What is going on? These are the very things that we have been learning from James!


So, if you were to look at paragraph one above as though it were your open left hand, and then consider paragraph two as though it were your right hand, I believe we can see the solution to the followers of Christ acting unChristian. Let the hand left that symbolizes judgment, hypocrisy, unforgiveness, favoritism, etc. be remedied by the right hand of mercy, compassion, love, and a forgiving spirit, and we will be Christians others find to be Christ-like. Let us choose to get free from unforgiveness and learn what it truly means to become people full of mercy, and then I believe we will begin to remedy what has gone wrong with Christianity in America.


What do you think? I'd love to hear your responses--hit reply and then reply, won't you?

Mercy me, Mercy you today. . .

Christine