Mercy: Not Receiving What You Deserve
You will … give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God.
Luke 1:76-78
Mercy—everyone wants it when it is least deserved, yet most hesitate to give it when another asks for it.
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In Luke 1 mercy is mentioned five times. The one giving it is God; those least deserving of it are people. And this mercy consists of God becoming a man—the gift of Christ to sinners.
John Flavel explains that believers have the mercy of God in Jesus Christ.
WALK WITH JOHN FLAVEL
“Jesus Christ is an incomparable and matchless mercy. You will find none in heaven or on earth to equal him.
“He is more than all externals, as the light of the sun is more than that of a candle. He is more than life, as the cause is more than the effect. More than all peace, all joy, as the tree is more than the fruit.
“When you compare Christ with things eternal, you will find him better than they. For what is heaven without Christ?
“If Christ should say to the saints, ‘Take heaven among you, but I will withdraw from you,’ the saints would weep, even in heaven itself, and say, ‘Lord, heaven will not be heaven unless you are there, for you yourself are the joy of heaven!’ “
WALK CLOSER TO GOD
Justice is receiving what you deserve. Mercy is not receiving what you deserve. Grace is receiving what you do not deserve.
All three come true in Jesus Christ (Luke 1:68-69,77). His life and death provide redemption (that’s justice—the price fully paid), remission (that’s mercy—the guilt fully removed) and salvation (that’s grace—eternal life freely given).
Giving others what’s coming to them—that’s only natural. Treating others with the mercy they don’t deserve—that’s supernatural.
Perhaps that’s why Shakespeare wrote, “Earthly power doth show like God’s when mercy seasons justice.” Does that supernatural seasoning flow through your life to others?
