How to Show Mercy in an Unkind World

In Colossians 4:6 I read, “When you talk, you should always be kind and pleasant so you will be able to answer everyone in the way you should.” (NCV)

One of the best ways to be a witness for Jesus in a world that’s becoming more judgmental, selfish, and unforgiving is to show mercy to others.

Yesterday I looked at two things I can do to build a lifestyle of mercy: Start looking and listening for people’s needs, and don’t be offended by the sins of others.

Here are two more ways to show mercy:

First, learn to choose my words carefully. If I’m going to show mercy, there are some things I just can’t say. I can’t be rude or sarcastic. Mercy puts a monitor on my mouth and helps me choose words that build people up instead of tearing them down.

Colossians 4:6 says, “When I talk, I should always be kind and pleasant so that I will be able to answer everyone in the way I should” (NCV).

Maybe I grew up in a family where it was common to put each other down, and now I’ve developed the same pattern in my own life. How do I break that habit? Ask God for wisdom because “the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy” (James 3:17 ESV).

The wiser I become, the more merciful I’ll be to the people around me—no matter how much they disagree with or dislike me. That’s because the more I understand the hurts of others, the more likely I’ll be to cut them slack and show them mercy.

Second, value saving people over keeping rules. Jesus modeled this over and over. A good example is found in the book of Matthew. Jesus says this to the legalistic Pharisees: “You are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things” (Matthew 23:23 NLT).

Jesus didn’t like how the Pharisees prioritized tithing over more important things, such as treating people fairly, showing mercy, and having faith. He wants me to “not neglect the more important things” as well. He would rather see my kindness break through to others so that, one day, they will give their lives to him. Jesus is more interested in kingdom building than in rule following.

Every time I show mercy, that will be my greatest Christian witness to the world.

In summary, one of the best ways to be a witness for Jesus is to show mercy to others. Yesterday I looked at two things I can do: Start looking and listening for people’s needs, and not be offended by the sins of others. Here are two more ways to show mercy: First, learn to choose my words carefully. There are some things I just can’t say. I can’t be rude or sarcastic. Mercy puts a monitor on my mouth and helps me choose words that build people up rather than tearing them down. When I talk, I should always be kind and pleasant so that I will be able to answer everyone in the way I should. In order for me to break this old habit, I need to ask God for wisdom. The wiser I become, the more merciful I’ll be to the people around me—no matter how much they disagree with or dislike me. The more I understand the hurts of others, the more likely I’ll be to cut them slack and show them mercy. Second, value saving people over keeping rules.Jesus didn’t like how the Pharisees prioritized tithing over more important things, such as treating people fairly, showing mercy, and having faith. He would rather see my kindness break through to others so that, one day, they will give their lives to him. Jesus is more interested in kingdom building than in rule following. Every time I show mercy, it will be my greatest Christian witness to the world.

When I tell others about Christ, it is important always to be gracious in what I say. No matter how much sense the message makes, I lose my effectiveness if I am not courteous. Just as I like to be respected, I must respect others if I want them to listen to what I have to say. My goal should be to bring out the best in others in conversation, not put them down or cut them out.