Living Out Mercy

Heart Prep

Dear Jesus, help me to understand and accept Your mercy
so I can display it to others in my life.

Matthew 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”

When I was in 7th grade, a very dear friend of mine got upset with me and reacted in a mean way. I remember right after it happened, instead of seeking immediate revenge, I decided to move on and continue to be the best friend that I could be. It took strength and prayer, but I am so glad that I showed mercy to my friend. I forgave her, and we are still very close friends 15 years later. It is not an easy thing to show mercy, especially if it seems like others don’t deserve it, but we are called to be merciful, and Jesus said we will be blessed for it.

When a parent, sibling, friend, or teacher treats you unfairly, it can be easy to become bitter or want to retaliate in some way. Next time someone offends you, be quick to show mercy, to forgive them. Not because you feel like it, but because of the incredible mercy Jesus has shown you. If we all got what we deserved as sinners, we would get an eternity separated from God. In order to keep that from happening, Jesus humbled Himself and came from heaven to earth in order to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins. He took the punishment that we deserve. Since our perfect and holy Jesus did that for mankind, how much more should we show mercy to everyone around us? As you go throughout your day, treat others better than they deserve, and when you do, think about the mercy that God shows you each and every day!

Life Application

What is God saying to me?

Something I want to remember from this is....

How does this change my life and what are my next steps?