We All Need Mercy

A couple of months ago I received a text from a friend in Texas who was in a financial crisis. He had previously told me that he had personally guaranteed a real estate loan on a commercial project that ran into major trouble. Now he was in danger of losing everything he owned, including his family home. He closed the text by saying, “I need mercy.”

My friend could have blamed his crisis on a partner who mismanaged the project. He could have fallen into self-pity or tried to hide from the lender. Instead, he was facing the truth and asking for mercy.

When I read his text, I thought about the blind man calling out to Jesus, “Lord, have mercy on me.” I didn’t know how the details would work out, but I told him I believed he would receive mercy from the Lord.

Jesus said, “Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy rather than sacrifice’” (Matthew 9:13). Jesus is saying that God’s priority for us is not how much we sacrifice for him, but the mercy we show to others. We all need mercy at times, but none of us deserve it. When we show mercy, we are not giving people what they deserve, but grace and help they never earned.

Years ago, Kristina and I were treated to a theatrical production of Les Misérables. In an opening scene, Jean Valjean, a hungry ex-convict, steals silver from a bishop’s house. He gets caught and brought to the bishop by a cruel policeman. The bishop recognizes Jean Valjean would face life in prison, so instead of pressing charges, he tells the policeman Jean had permission to take the silver. He then gives him his silver candlesticks as well.

The power of this merciful act helps transform Jean Valjean into a man full of grace and mercy who dedicates his life to helping others. It is a fulfillment of James 2:13, “Mercy triumphs over judgment.”

I was in a golf match in January with Dan, who played for twelve years in the NFL. Dan is bigger, stronger and younger than I am, and he plays a lot of golf. However, on this day, I was playing well and leading by one as we arrived at the 18thhole.

 Dan teed off with a big swing and hit a screaming line drive into a pond 100 yards in front of the tee box. I didn’t want to cheer, but as my friend John Leggat says, “Every shot makes somebody happy.”

Dan teed up another ball and hit it onto the fairway. When we arrived at his second ball, I said, “Dan would you like some mercy?”

“What do you mean, ‘mercy?’” he asked.

“Mercy means we can say your first shot never happened.”

“No way. I can still win this hole. I have seen stranger things happen.”

“Ok, but I wanted to give you an opportunity for mercy. If you say you don’t need mercy, I may use this as a sermon illustration….”

Dan declined my offer. He lost the hole and the match.

The next time I played was with Kyle. He had asked to play golf with me for my birthday. Kyle has developmental challenges. He used to get picked on by other students when I saw him in the stands at high school football games. I agreed to our game because I was impressed by Kyle’s boldness.

Kyle doesn’t look like an athlete. He plays golf cross-handed, but he has gotten pretty good over the years. We were having a tight match when he hit a ball into deep rough sixty yards from the green. After we looked for awhile and couldn’t find his ball I asked him, “Kyle, would you like mercy? We can say we found your ball right here.”

“Yes!” he replied without hesitation. He dropped another ball in a good spot, took a swing and hit his shot onto the green two feet from the flag. He made the putt for a par and went on to win our match by two strokes.

Those who compete with me would probably say mercy is not one of my primary characteristics. However, I’m learning that long after the fleeting joy of winning, or the sting of defeat fades, the glow of mercy can still warm my heart…and I do value a good illustration.

I like to compete because sports motivate me to stay in shape and provide a break from the intensity of ministry. We can learn the value of good coaching, perseverance, team work and humility from sports, but many things in life are far more important than competition.

For years I have prayed for our government leaders to receive wisdom and guidance from God. Now as I pray about our current national challenges and the upcoming election, my prayers often include “Lord, have mercy on our nation.”

My friend in Texas who was on the precipice of losing everything didn’t run and hide. He called out to God and faced his creditors with honesty and humility. At the last minute, through amazing circumstances, he was given a new loan which made his upside down project work. The Lord showed him mercy.

Our own sin deceives us, so it’s hard to grasp how much mercy we have received from the Lord. When we get a glimpse of God’s glory and see how short we fall, the experience is not meant to condemn us, but to soften our hearts. It is spiritually healthy to show mercy to others, but if we judge them, we are negating the power that can transform people.

God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble (James 4:8). The Lord Jesus is ready to give each of us the mercy and grace we need to overcome challenges and prosper in life. The wise and humble receive it thankfully and share it generously.