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Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. (Matthew 5:7)
The Merciful
Mercy and forgiveness are siblings—almost twins. Mercy is the waiving of justice due. Forgiveness is the waiving of a debt owed. In both cases, there is a laying aside something for which you have a right.
In our walk through these Beatitudes, we have discovered our poverty, mourned over our sin, and hungered for a righteousness we do not yet have. Jesus admonishes to be gentle and not violent. Here we are at the fifth and stand in need of mercy and forgiveness. This is our motivation to be merciful and forgiving.
Here is mercy at work. Someone harms you. They steal, or maim, or kill and you are left with a loss. You have a right to justice and justice is fairly met by imprisonment, or a law suit, or the death penalty. What do you do? You can ask for justice and that can often be the right course of action. You forgive the person, but you seek justice for the action—because justice rightly administered brings closure and peace.
But you can also lay aside your right to a judgment against the one who harmed you. You decide to not press charges or file the suit. The one who harmed you is free of legal consequences. Forgiveness extends to mercy.
The important concept here is that justice is equally served by either judgment executed or mercy extended. Both Jesus and Stephen in the midst of their executions said, “Father forgive them. They do not know what they are doing.” Note how this is really a mercy statement. Jesus and Stephen have a right to a judgment against their murderers. Both are asking the Father to not consider this when He judges them. They are asking the Father to not take their sin into account.
You can forgive—indeed you must forgive. But you can also ask for the consequences of a harm be waived—that is mercy.
They will be shown mercy
Judge not and you will not be judged.
The merciful will be shown mercy.
Forgive as we forgive.
Note what this means! If we live lives that refuse to judge others as good or evil. If we waive our rights to justice. If we forgive all offenses. When we come before the Judgment Seat of Messiah, he will look at us and say, “I am not opening the books I have against you. All is forgotten.” That would be a good place to be.