Blessed are the
merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Matthew
5:7 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Those who
show others mercy are not only a blessing to others but also a blessing to
themselves. It is tempting to think that by being merciful (literally, to
forgive/pardon a debt that is owed) we are letting the other person off, that
they get the blessing while we pay for it. But that is not the case at all. The
reason is because no matter what a person does to us, ultimately their offense
is against God and He is the Judge. It is His job to require restitution and
remit punishment, not ours. Jesus said that we must forgive, or we will not be
forgiven. The reason is that we have already been forgiven, and so we should
extend that same forgiveness (mercy) to others. But this does not leave us in
the deficit. We are blessed for being merciful, just as others are blessed by
our mercy. The mercy we give is not perfect, because we are not perfect. But
the mercy we receive from God is not only perfect but it is also limitless.
What a reward for being merciful! In so doing, we also help to repair not only
our relationships with others, but also our relationship with God. The blessings
of being merciful are abundant and endless! Is that not better than any amount
of restitution we could require of others? Be merciful and be blessed!
"Life becomes easier when you learn to accept an apology you never got."
~Robert Brault
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