Blessed are the Merciful

Verse 7 is the first Beatitude that deals with the way we interact with others. This is a very important concept for us to understand. Before we can reach out to others, we must first allow God to set us on a firm foundation. We cannot give from what we do not have. When we try to do things in our own strength, we are dooming ourselves to failure. We may succeed momentarily, or even occasionally, but consistent success requires a heart and mind that is devoted to and controlled by God.

Once we have ‘mastered’ the first four steps of Christian living (or at least made them our habit), we need to turn our attention outwards, as well as inwards. We should never stop working on our relationship with God. Those first four steps still need to be climbed; however, they should be easier and more automatic at this point. Because we are strong in these areas, God lays before us our next great challenge: mercy.

Mercy was not placed at the beginning of the list because it is not natural. Instinct tells us to seek revenge or at least restitution. Mercy challenges us to rely on God’s strength, understand who we are through Him, and depend on God for all our needs. If we don’t have the ability to do those three things, we will fail at living a consistently merciful life.

Jesus will always be our best example of mercy. The example of Christ’s mercy that has always driven me to do better is found in Luke 23:32-34:

“Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals – one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’ And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.”

This passage gets me every time. The solders led the Son of God to a criminal’s execution. After the insane brutality they enacted upon the Messiah – their Messiah, Jesus begs God to forgive them. With one of his final breaths, he utters forgiveness – mercy towards men who did not deserve it… And don’t miss this… didn’t ask for it and didn’t acknowledge it. That is mercy at its finest. That is the example we have to follow.

To forgive those who brutalize us despite the fact that they don’t ask for forgiveness nor act like the gift they have been given holds any value is the epidemy of mercy. That is the first step God calls us to climb in relation to others. It is not easy. It will require a lifetime of practice, but it will change the world when we all walk in mercy.

“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

We have already obtained mercy. This fact is the motivation for giving it to others. We didn’t deserve it. We didn’t ask for it before it was given. And occasionally, we don’t live as if we have received it. Yet, we still have it. Because God has given us mercy, we need to work on always living our lives as merciful. When we feel these natural emotions rising up in us, we need to turn to our God who is the champion of mercy. When we turn inward to God in us and rely on the Holy Spirit for strength and comfort, we can forgive those who don’t want to be forgiven.

We can let go of anger and bitterness. We can give mercy just as we enjoy a life defined by God’s mercy.