Bible Verses to Explore: Luke 6:36
How do you treat someone who comes up behind you and knocks your books out of your hands?
How do you treat someone who enjoys harassing you or calling you names?
What does that person deserve?
While they may deserve to be treated just as badly as they treated you, God has other ideas. In Luke 6:36 Jesus commands us to “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” God wants you to treat everyone the way he treats you – with mercy, love, and forgiveness. That includes those people who are mean to us.
What exactly is mercy?
Mercy is undeserved kindness. Let’s go a step deeper. The KJV Dictionary defines kindness as “delighting in contributing to the happiness of others, which is exercised
cheerfully in gratifying their wishes, supplying their wants or alleviating their distresses.” That is mercy.
Before you say that there is no way you can offer mercy – undeserved kindness to “that” person, remember that Jesus showed mercy to you. Jesus, the holy, perfect Son of God who never sinned, voluntarily died on the cross in your place. He didn’t deserve that punishment – you deserved it. I deserved it. We are the sinners. We are the ones who rebelled against God and refused to live God’s way or honor God with our lives. Jesus death on the cross was the perfect gift of mercy.
Now, with Jesus’ sacrificial mercy – undeserved kindness toward you and I – in mind…what can you do today to show kindness to someone who doesn’t deserve it?
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32
Prayer: Lord, teach me how to be kind to everyone, even those who don’t deserve kindness. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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