Merciful Goodness

“Blessed are the merciful, because they will be shown mercy.” (Matthew 5:7)

Mercy is the decision or act of relenting when there is cause for judgment, punishment, or retribution against someone who has injured you or someone else. Beyond that, mercy not only relents but even extends aid to the one who does not deserve it. Mercy overlaps with several other concepts, including: grace, forgiveness, and love. To be merciful is thus to be full of these attributes.

Our God is a God who is merciful. He is mercy in perfection. He extended mercy to us through the crucifixion and resurrection of His Son. To the degree that we understand and appreciate what He did for us and practice toward others what Jesus did for us, we demonstrate mercy.

We practice mercy because we have received it. And we receive even more mercy because we practice it.

Lord, You have expressed mercy toward us. Help us in turn to be merciful toward others. Amen.