Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain
mercy. (Matthew 5:7 KJV)
Why should we be happy (blessed) if we show mercy?
Mercy is an integral part of
God’s character. Moses, when he was receiving the 10
commandments, asked God to show him His glory. God agreed to do so. The
LORD passed in front of Moses and said, “I am the LORD. The LORD is a God who
shows mercy, who is kind, who doesn’t become angry quickly, who
has great love and faithfulness and is kind to thousands of
people.” (Exodus 34:6,7 NCV). When God
announced his name to Moses and described Himself, the first thing He
said about Himself was that He is a God who shows mercy. Later, God
told the Israelites that they would worship other gods and forsake Him.
But after that you will come back to
the LORD your God and obey him, because the LORD your God is a merciful
God. He will not leave you or destroy you. (Deuteronomy
4:30,31 NCV). Even when God has reason not to be merciful, He
still is.
God will show mercy to us.
When we imitate God’s character, He is pleased. With the merciful thou wilt show thyself
merciful; with an upright man thou wilt show thyself upright. (Psalm
18:25 KJV). But God’s
mercy is great, and he loved us very much. (Ephesians
2:4 NCV).
We will be fulfilling
God’s will for us. He
hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require
of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with
thy God? (Micah 6:8 KJV). But love your enemies, do good to them, and
lend to them without hoping to get anything back. Then you will have a
great reward, and you will be children of the Most High God, because he
is kind even to people who are ungrateful and full of sin. Show mercy,
just as your Father shows mercy. (Luke 6:35,36 NCV).
It brings eternal rewards.
Being kind to the poor is like lending
to the LORD; he will reward you for what you have done. (Proverbs
19:17 NCV). So you must show
mercy to others, or God will not show mercy to you when he judges you.
But the person who shows mercy can stand without fear at the judgment.
(James 2:13 NCV). Then
the King will say to the people on his right, “Come, my father
has given you his blessing. Receive the kingdom God has prepared for
you since the world was made. I was hungry, and you gave me food. I was
thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was alone and away from
home, and you invited me into your house. I was without clothes, and
you gave me something to wear. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was
in prison, and you visited me.” Then the good people will answer,
“Lord, when did we see you hungry and give you food, or thirsty
and give you something to drink? When did we see you alone and away
from home, and invite you into our house? When did we see you without
clothes and give you something to wear? When did we see you sick or in
prison and care for you?” Then the King will answer, “I
tell you the truth, anything you did for even the least of my people
here, you also did for me.” (Matthew 26:34-40 NCV).
