God Gives His Church The Gift Mercy to Imitate Him
Rainbow
God gives his Church the gift mercy to imitate Him. Back in the days of the Puritans, people gave their children Biblical names, like Ezekiel, and Mary. But they also frequently chose virtue names, like Mercy. Although Biblical names are in favor again, the virtue names are not as common. Perhaps, if they were, we would think more about the meanings of mercy.
The adjective mercy, in the phrase “at the mercy of” means to be wholly in the power of someone or something, with no way to protect oneself. Ever since Adam and Eve fell for the serpent’s lies, that’s where people have been. Trapped.
When it comes to defining mercy as a noun, I think Webster’s eleventh dictionary edition has the choices in the wrong order. Their choice for definition 2.a. is: A blessing that is an act of divine favor or compassion. I think that should have come first. 2.b is: fortunate circumstance. Believers would call that providence. Webster’s third definition is: compassionate treatment of those in distress.
God gives His Church the gift mercy to imitate Him. Here’s where things get interesting.
The word Mercy has roots in Middle English, Anglo-French, and Latin. These roots mean price paid, and merchandise. God showed compassionate treatment of people in distress, and forbearance, the first definition of mercy. As sinners, we offend Him. Yet, He sent Jesus to buy us back, with his perfect life and his death on the cross.
God gives his Church the gift mercy to imitate Him. How would it look, if we did that?
The world is full of people concocting reasons to take offense. By such choices, they magnify their distress in this disarranged world, and aren’t even aware they’re doing so. It may be difficult, but we can show forbearance.
If you’re suddenly wondering why Peter didn’t forbear with Ananias and Sapphira, that would have been lenience, and an abdication of his role to provide discipline in the church. It would have opened the door to more lying and behavior that would damage the witness of the Jerusalem church. In nearly every other circumstance, it’s wise to remember that “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.”
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Ruth DeMaat
Heidi Kortman
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