“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”

Matthew 5:7

Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been reminded of the idea of mercy – the idea of “compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm.”

Each of us has the power to harm others by withholding mercy, but for the Christian, we must be willing to forgive and show compassion to others.

Later in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus returned to this idea following His teaching on the LORD’s prayer –

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Matthew 6:14-15

The message is clear here. The person who expects to receive mercy from the LORD will exhibit the same kind of compassion and forgiveness toward others. How are we doing?