Many look at mercy as a form of pity on another person. The word pity is defined as
the feeling of sorrow and compassion caused by the suffering and misfortunes of others.
We hear the word mercy in many situations within the Bible. The word mercy comes from the Greek word eleos. The Greek Lexicon defines eleos as
kindness or good will towards the miserable and the afflicted, joined with a desire to help them
This changes our ideas of the word from not just an emotion, but an action. In the story of the Good Samaritan we see the Priest who passes the Jew without any regard for him or the fact that he is there. The Levite then passes and looks upon the man, but does not stop to help. The Samaritan, a group that the Jews do not like at this time, not only looks upon the man, but stops and helps him. He goes above and beyond to help him in any way he can.
If we look closely we see the Priest who choses to do nothing, not even have pity on the man, but turn his head to him. The Levite shows not mercy, but pity on the man. He looks and may feel some emotion or sadness or pity for him, but does not have mercy on the him. The Samaritan however not only feels for the man, but has compassion to the point that he acts upon those feels. This is having true mercy for those around us.
Mercy means acting upon the things around us that afflict our neighbors. Who is our neighbor? A neighbor as God tells us in this same parable is EVERY MAN and that we should have compassion for them and their afflictions. This can be the friend you have had for 20 years or the man you see holding a sign every day at the corner that you just pass by. This can be the mother in front of you in line $1 short to buy a package of diaper or formula or the family that just lost a loved one.
This doesn't mean the only way we can help is to open our wallets and pour out what we fill is enough, but going the extra mile to ensure their needs are met. This can be giving our time to help a family heal from loss through listening, spending time with them, fixing a meal or helping care for the children while they take care of details. We can also sit with a meal with that same man you see on the corner, sometimes we can plant the seed that helps God to work in his own way just by talking. God may have something that he wants you to learn from that same man, but if you don't stop and talk how will you learn it. That mom in front of you could be a widow or have a husband or boyfriend who just walked out on them with no notice and that $1 may make a difference in that child having diapers or eating.
A quick story my pastor shared with us. There was a homeless man on the corner that someone had commented pulled out a flip phone cell phone and posted on Facebook about the picture they saw which was not in the light of the man on the corner. A youth member from our church later replied to that post explaining that they knew the man and that their family paid for that man's cell phone because he had diabetes so that if he needed medical assistance he could call for help.
We should always keep our eyes open to how God wants us to share and help those around us. To have compassion for them, because until you walk in their shoes you have no idea what is truly happening. The picture isn't always what it appears.
the feeling of sorrow and compassion caused by the suffering and misfortunes of others.
We hear the word mercy in many situations within the Bible. The word mercy comes from the Greek word eleos. The Greek Lexicon defines eleos as
kindness or good will towards the miserable and the afflicted, joined with a desire to help them
This changes our ideas of the word from not just an emotion, but an action. In the story of the Good Samaritan we see the Priest who passes the Jew without any regard for him or the fact that he is there. The Levite then passes and looks upon the man, but does not stop to help. The Samaritan, a group that the Jews do not like at this time, not only looks upon the man, but stops and helps him. He goes above and beyond to help him in any way he can.
If we look closely we see the Priest who choses to do nothing, not even have pity on the man, but turn his head to him. The Levite shows not mercy, but pity on the man. He looks and may feel some emotion or sadness or pity for him, but does not have mercy on the him. The Samaritan however not only feels for the man, but has compassion to the point that he acts upon those feels. This is having true mercy for those around us.
Mercy means acting upon the things around us that afflict our neighbors. Who is our neighbor? A neighbor as God tells us in this same parable is EVERY MAN and that we should have compassion for them and their afflictions. This can be the friend you have had for 20 years or the man you see holding a sign every day at the corner that you just pass by. This can be the mother in front of you in line $1 short to buy a package of diaper or formula or the family that just lost a loved one.
This doesn't mean the only way we can help is to open our wallets and pour out what we fill is enough, but going the extra mile to ensure their needs are met. This can be giving our time to help a family heal from loss through listening, spending time with them, fixing a meal or helping care for the children while they take care of details. We can also sit with a meal with that same man you see on the corner, sometimes we can plant the seed that helps God to work in his own way just by talking. God may have something that he wants you to learn from that same man, but if you don't stop and talk how will you learn it. That mom in front of you could be a widow or have a husband or boyfriend who just walked out on them with no notice and that $1 may make a difference in that child having diapers or eating.
A quick story my pastor shared with us. There was a homeless man on the corner that someone had commented pulled out a flip phone cell phone and posted on Facebook about the picture they saw which was not in the light of the man on the corner. A youth member from our church later replied to that post explaining that they knew the man and that their family paid for that man's cell phone because he had diabetes so that if he needed medical assistance he could call for help.
We should always keep our eyes open to how God wants us to share and help those around us. To have compassion for them, because until you walk in their shoes you have no idea what is truly happening. The picture isn't always what it appears.