We Are Praying for Mercy
Mercy is the visible sign of God’s love.
Many people say I love you without understanding the depth of the word. Sometimes, it is even used conditionally, “I will love you if you….” Or “If you love me you would….”. The Bible tells us that love is neither conditional nor superficial.
Since God is true love and infinite goodness, we can look at 1 Corinthians 13 and see how Jesus can be interchanged with the word love to give true depth to the meaning. “Jesus is patient and kind. He is not jealous conceited or proud. He is not ill-mannered or selfish. He does not demand his own way…”
But love is not merely a feeling, it must be expressed to be understood. Mercy is the expression of love. If love is a seed, mercy is the flower. To be patient, one must be tested. To be humble, one must exhibit humility in his words and deeds.
If we say that we love, but do not show it our actions, then our words are false and without meaning. Mercy is the fulfillment of love’s desire. It is the abandonment of one’s own desires for the benefit of another.
But this action is not without cost. The more pure the love, the deeper the cost. Mercy causes us to deny ourselves and enter into the suffering of another. It challenges us to suppress our desires and take on the pain, struggles and trials of others to help relieve their burden. Mercy is love in action.
On the contrary, if one performs deeds without love as its foundation, these works mean nothing. If I gave my coat to someone on a hot day it may make me feel better temporarily, but it cost me nothing. If I had no attachments to that coat it means what I gave away was out of excess. The coat must be a part of myself that I share with that person. It must be an expression of love.
In giving the coat to a person I must also give of myself. I must reach out with compassion to listen and respond to the needs of others. With each work of mercy performed, the will becomes stronger and it is not only agreeable to do works of mercy, but joyful.
I challenge each of you who have read this article to ask yourself this simple question, “How much do I love my neighbor?” The answer may surprise you. The time for mercy is now. The person to offer it is you.