Mercy Could Be My Greatest Witness

In Luke 6:36 I read, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” (NIV)

In an increasingly unkind world, my greatest Christian witness is to show people mercy.

Our world is unmerciful and unforgiving. It seems the highest form of humor is the put-down. Even comedians get paid for their sarcastic and cynical jabs at others.

When others see me showing mercy, especially considering how rude and mean society has become, they will see an example of, “what a Christian is like, one who is like Jesus.”

Jesus says in Luke 6:36, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (NIV).  

There are four things I can do to build a lifestyle of mercy. The first two are:

First, start looking and listening for people’s needs. Whose needs? The needs of people in my neighborhood, at my work, and in my family. Mercy always begins with awareness. If I’m not aware, then I don’t care.

The Bible says, “Look out for one another’s interests, not just for your own” (Philippians 2:4 GNT).

I don’t struggle to be merciful because I’m a bad person. It’s because I’m too busy. Busyness is the number one destroyer of mercy in my life. When I’m moving from event to event and task to task, it’s hard to pay attention to the people around me. And when I’m not looking and listening for people’s needs, it’s nearly impossible to be merciful.

Second, don’t be offended by the sins of others. I can’t say, “Go clean up your life, and then I will accept you.” No—mercy is unconditional! If I’m going to show mercy to people, I can’t be offended by them. I can’t minister to people if I’m looking down on them.

Jesus wasn’t offended by people’s sins. In fact, he hung out with the worst kinds of sinners. He was even accused of “guilt by association” because he spent time with people who were corrupt, unloving, and manipulative.

This doesn’t mean Jesus approved of everything they did. God doesn’t approve of everything I do, but he accepts me completely. Showing mercy doesn’t mean I say everything someone does is okay. Drug addiction and adultery, for example, are not okay.

But I can still show mercy. I can do for others what Christ has done for me.

“Most importantly, love each other deeply. Love has a way of not looking at others’ sins” (1 Peter 4:8 ICB).

In summary, in our increasingly unkind world, my greatest Christian witness is to show others mercy. Our world is unmerciful and unforgiving. It seems the highest form of humor is the put-down. When others see me showing mercy, especially considering how rude and mean society has become, they will see an example of, “what a Christian is like.” God’s word tells me to be merciful, just as my Father is. There are four things I can do to build a lifestyle of mercy. The first two are: First, start looking and listening for people’s needs, the needs of people in my Oikos (my neighborhood, work, and family). Mercy always begins with awareness. If I’m not aware, then I don’t care. God’s word also tells me to Look out for one another’s interests, not just my own. I don’t struggle to be merciful because I’m a bad person. It’s because I’m too busy. Busyness is the number one destroyer of mercy in my life. When I’m not looking and listening for people’s needs, it’s nearly impossible to be merciful. Second, don’t be offended by the sins of others. I can’t say, “Go clean up your life, and then I will accept you.” No—mercy is unconditional! I can’t minister if I’m looking down on them. Jesus wasn’t offended by people’s sins. He hung out with the worst kinds of sinners. This doesn’t mean Jesus approved of everything they did. God doesn’t approve of everything I do, but he accepts me completely. But I can still show mercy. I can do for others what Christ has done for me.

I am to be compassionate, merciful and loving toward others. I need to help and give without expecting a return. I’ll never regret it. I need to live out this God-created identity the way the Father lives toward me, generously and graciously, even when I'm at my worst. My Father is kind; so I should be kind.