merciful me

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

Matthew 5:7

The Beatitudes are full of unexpected twists and turns. We’re surprised to hear Jesus’ descriptions of His upside down kingdom. In His worldview it is a blessing to be impoverished, the comforting people are the ones who mourn, the meek control the earth, and those who are bullied win out. And what Jesus says about the merciful implies that they themselves have needed and still need the mercy of God.

Yet this is the great, joyous mystery of life in Christ. We live by the mercy of God, in the mercy of God, for the mercy of God, displaying the mercy of God to others. Blessed are the merciful BECAUSE they receive God’s mercy. Blessed are the merciful because they CONTINUE to receive mercy!

Lord Jesus,

In this world that is increasingly short on mercy and grace, help me who has received great mercy bless my world by being merciful. Your church, often influenced by the cruel selfishness of this sinful world, has a bad reputation for being unaccepting, merciless, and judgmental. May that stop with me! Help me have the reputation of the merciful so that I might continue in Your mercy, O Lord!

Amen