Grace And Mercy
The one who receives God’s mercy is changed by it—and shows that same mercy to others.
Grace and Mercy (Written by David Peterson)
Jesus said in Matthew 5:7:
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.”
In that single sentence, Jesus gives us a powerful command and a comforting promise. He tells us to show compassion—to be gentle and forgiving toward others, not harsh or condemning. The kindness and forgiveness that the merciful show will, in turn, be shown to them.
To be merciful is to have pity for the downtrodden and to withhold judgment when we easily could condemn. Mercy goes hand-in-hand with grace—the unmerited favor of God. Grace is receiving what we do not deserve. It is love when we have earned none. Both grace and mercy flow from the heart of Jesus and define His earthly ministry.
Sinclair Ferguson wrote this about grace and mercy:
“The way to open our hearts to others is by receiving afresh the grace of God and appreciating what it means: seeing our own need of Christ; coming to receive His mercy; sensing how undeserved His love for us is; remembering how He has also opened His heart to those whose hearts are closed against us. Then we will see that the heart which is too narrow to receive a fellow Christian is too narrow to enthrone the Lord Jesus Christ. But the heart that is opened to receive the grace of Christ will learn to welcome all those whom Christ Himself has welcomed.”
The heart of Jesus is the model for our own. As James 2:13 warns, “Judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.” The one who receives God’s mercy is changed by it—and shows that same mercy to others.
The hymn “God of Mercy, God of Grace” (1834) by Henry Francis Lytecaptures this truth:
God of mercy, God of grace,
Show the brightness of Your face;
Shine upon us, Savior, shine;
Fill Your world with light divine;
All Your saving health extend
Unto earth’s remotest end.
God’s mercy and grace are not limited—they are meant to shine across the world through the hearts of His people.
Let us pray:
Lord Jesus, You are the source of all truth, and we seek Your direction in all things. Lead us into Your truth each day, and help us to see it—even through our own deceptions, pride, and lack of trust. Amen.
