Love, Mercy and Compassion
Today we are going to discuss 3 very important character traits which Jesus always used in fact if those traits aren’t part of how you approached others, you won’t succeed in having happy, credible relationships with anyone. Relationships without those traits are usually destructive Don’t think of relationships only in terms of a romantic relationship. There are relationships with your partner, your children, your parents, with your friends and with others. The most important relationship in your life is with your CREATOR. If your relationships here on earth (horizontal) is destructive, then your relationship with God (vertical) will also be destructive. One can actually say that if you lack those 3 skills, you can’t see people through Gods eyes.
What is love?
God is love. (Trinity – God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit. If the Trinity consists those 3, it means all of them represents love). To love God means that first of all to respond to God and accepting Jesus as your Saviour and if Jesus Christ becomes your Saviour, you change form loving yourself to loving others. Love is also having respect for and giving space to everyone ells. The love of Jesus that shines through you always activate a sensitivity in you towards other people’s needs and that special love will always encourage you to encourage others to be positive and to grow in God’s Kingdom.
What is mercy?
The core meaning of mercy is forgiveness. Mercy is a actually an extension of love. Mercy don.t expect anything in return if you gave someone slack for something, meaning you don’t have agendas. If you show mercy to others, you actually shine God’s light in their dark world. You and me are saved by the mercy of God. By mercy our lives were touched. For me mercy represents a kind of love God had for me a sinner, that was so strong because God knew I need saving and can save myself, that’s why He expect you to show that same kind of mercy.
What is compassion?
To have compassion mean that if you recognize other people’s suffering and you act on it, you can call it LOVE IN ACTION. Remember don’t mix up compassion with empathy. Empathy is when you can relate to someone’s suffering but compassion is when you actually get involve.
Do you now see why these 3 gifts (we can see them as such because God gave you the ability to use them) can’t operate on their own? Because God love us and have compassion for us, He shows mercy towards us and therefore you need to share that with others.
We all know that God s mercy is new every morning, but you must also comprehend that you NEED His mercy. An anonymous writer describes love and mercy so accurately when he/she writes that the love and mercy you receive, you do not deserve! As William Barclay said: “Although God’s mercy is freely available, you must also know that is best to think of mercy as a privilege to be appreciated and not abused”
Sometimes when I just became still in God’s presence, I think of the greatness of His unconditional love, and that He had shown by doing such a fearless deed on the cross. I realise that Jesus died and became sin, so that we can be forgiven and stand blameless before God, I really get goosebumps, just to think of it. You need to become still and really realise, really accept that deed. In the Word we read that via His wounds we received healing (Isa 53:5). Just be still and realise what an act of love and mercy, what a blessing that Jesus gave HIS life (remember you become blameless and without sin) so that we can have EVERLASTING life. You need to follow Jesus’ example in your relationships with other people. Remember you are His hands and feet extended here on earth. In infarct you are His voice in whatever situation. A good example of God’s love is the thief on the cross. He was a criminal an unbeliever, yet he received compassion from God because of the blood of Jesus. If you are not on a very nice spot when someone needs your help, you need to “put away your own feelings” and be there for that person. Threat them \\oowith love and show mercy and compassion where needed. Remember what Jesus did for you on the cross.
Sinners, or call them people in the world, will constantly try their utmost best to cause doubt in your mind, and if you let them get to you by doing that, they will rob you of your love and mercy and even of your everlasting life. You must never purposely abuse God’s mercy by thinking that you can sin whenever you want and then think that because of His mercy upon you you won’t be judge. Some people use Christianity as not an excuse to sin. By keep on doing sin stubbornly, you deny Golgotha by doing that and you also take God’s love, mercy and compassion for granted. Normally when things go wrong in your life, you quick to ask “Why God?” or “God where are you?”. But we must realise that God is no “spare wheel” to help you just when it is suitable for you, just so that your plans can’t go wrong. In Galatians 6:7 it states clearly states that we mustn’t mislead ourselves, because God doesn’t let Himself be mock.
Another aspect we must also look at and also understand is faith because faith and mercy go hand in hand. In Hebrews 11:1 we read exactly what faith is. Faith is when you believe without seeing something. Like we don’t see what makes planes fly, but we do believe they will fly. You believe in God, but do you see Him? It is a fact that we are saved by mercy due to the fact that we believe, but you must believe in and accept what Jesus did for you on the cross. If you don’t believe, you can’t receive the Holy Spirit and without the Holy Spirit that will lead you to faith in God and receive the mercy from God that again will lead you to that stage in your life live where you can understand exactly what God’s love, mercy and compassion is worth to you. Then you will also be thankful and realise that you are truly a new creation. God also promise that His mercy is enough for you (2 Peter 1:3), remember that if you go through trials and tribulations and you think that u can’t handle it, remember God won’t allow situations to cross your path if He didn’t know you can handle it.
You need to realise that because of the free gift of mercy God showed you, God expects you to show mercy to others as well and to be understanding of other people’s situations. Be sensitive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Once you have accepted Jesus and possess the acknowledge of how important His mercy is, then you want show others also the importance of His mercy. The Word also teach that those who have plenty must share with those who have little or nothing, but not only materially but spiritually as well (2 Co 8:13-14).
If you aren’t sensitive to other people’s needs, you won’t have mercy or even compassion to show to other. Whatever gift or gifts we receive from God differs according to His will (Rom 12:6) or purpose He has at moment.
Although we are all members of one body, we are all one (1 Co 12:12). God gives all gifts to each to enhance His kingdom, therefore God will decide which gift you will use and when He will. God gives that specific gift to you so that you can be a worthwhile for work in His kingdom
Although God showers you with His love, mercy and compassion, you must still realise that He does not have to. He does it because He love you and expects you to love others. If you are proud, you are unaware of the love, mercy and compassion God showers you with and that makes you unaware of the love, mercy and compassion you have to share. Paul wrote if you stand tall be careful that you do not fall. All fame and praise are Gods alone and you must not think more of yourself than you should (Rom 12:3). Thomas Merton said “Pride makes us false – humbleness makes us human”. Which is so true if are full of yourself then there is no place in your life to be aware of Gods greatness and you won’t be open to receive His love, mercy and compassion.
If you really understand mercy, then you must agree with Paul that Gods mercy is enough (2 Co 12:9), but also God promised that He won’t give us more than we can handle and that is called LOVE, MERCY AND COMPASSION!
