DAY 7 – Why Mercy is An Interpersonal Skill | 21-Day Devotional on Jesus’ Beatitudes and Sermon on the Mount
Why Mercy is An Interpersonal Skill
[Text of the same lesson from the audio]
Matthew 5:7, Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
In our day, we talk about the importance of interpersonal skills. One of the most important of those skills is the ability to be merciful. Having mercy is much more than an emotional wave of pity. It is a deliberate effort of the mind and of the will.
There is a story in the Bible of someone who was forgiven of his debt. The sad part was, the person who was forgiven, went and demanded payment from someone who owed him some money. “He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment.” (Matthew 18:21-35)
The essence of mercy is forgiveness and compassion.
"For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy" (James 2:13)
"So also my heavenly Father will do to everyone of you; if you do not forgive your brother from your heart" (Matthew 18:35).
"Forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors". "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses" (Matthew 6:12,14,15)
Having mercy requires empathy. We just don't feel for people, we attempt to feel with people.
In the Bible languages, one of the words for mercy carries this idea: The wish to get inside the other person's skin until we can see things with his eyes, think things with his mind, and feel things with his feelings.” (Barclay)
Most people are so consumed with their own feelings that there is no room to be concerned with the feelings of anyone else.
Among the greatest attributes of God is His love and mercy for humanity.
Jesus came to the earth (Emmanuel, “God with us”), took the form of a human, and dealt with all of the pressures and temptations of being human. This gave God the “data” or the experiential knowledge He needed show mercy towards you, me, and all people!
The present blessing of mercy from this Beatitude is that our hearts are broken for others. Mercy paves the way for us to be useful in the lives of others.
REFLECTION QUESTION:
For whom do you need to show mercy?
ACTION ITEMS BASED ON TODAY'S LESSON:
For whom do you need to show mercy?
ACTION ITEMS BASED ON TODAY'S LESSON:
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RESOURCES:
• Message by Dr. Tony Evans, "Blessed Are the Spiritual Beggars" (Matthew 5:3)
https://go.tonyevans.org/tony-evans-sermons/blessed-are-the-spiritual-beggars
• Follow this link to a resource from Zondervan Academic on the Beatitutes:
https://zondervanacademic.com/blog/beatitudes
• Message by Dr. Tony Evans, "Blessed Are the Spiritual Beggars" (Matthew 5:3)
https://go.tonyevans.org/tony-evans-sermons/blessed-are-the-spiritual-beggars
• Follow this link to a resource from Zondervan Academic on the Beatitutes:
https://zondervanacademic.com/blog/beatitudes
• Follow this link to a resource on the Beatitudes from BibleGateway:https://www.biblegateway.com/blog/2022/08/what-are-the-beatitudes-why-are-the-beatitudes-important/
• Follow THIS LINK (or copy/paste) to a resource from Zondervan Academic: https://zondervanacademic.com/blog/beatitudes
• Follow THIS LINK (or copy/paste) to the web version of Barclay's Commentary on the New Testament: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/dsb.html
• THIS LINK is a downloadable PDF of Barclay's Commentary
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Listen to the Teaching
