Lenten Reader | Day 3

March 6th, 2025

Have Mercy On Me

To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Luke 18:9-14

Mercy is a word that is used a lot in our churches and circle of friends, but do we fully understand its meaning?

The Bible has a lot to say about mercy. In fact, the word mercy appears 262 times in the Bible. Jesus spoke much about mercy. He taught us to show mercy and to be merciful. Mercy is one of the key characteristics of God. Besides being full of grace and love, our God is full of mercy. That is great news because if we got what we deserved, we would be crushed.

So, what exactly does it mean to give mercy? I’m glad you asked. Mercy is a spiritual kindness that involves helping those in need. It also means withholding punishment that is deserved.

In Matthew 5:7, Jesus teaches us that “God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy!” If we want mercy from God, we must be merciful to others.

Every day we have opportunities to show mercy to someone. That person at your job who drives you crazy. The driver who cut you off in traffic. Your spouse who did not do what you expected when you expected it. The rude shopper at Wal-Mart who just took that last 10 packs of toilet paper. The list can go on and on.

Why is it important to be merciful? Because God gives us mercy every day, and He expects us to show mercy to others! As followers of Christ, we are called to be merciful.

Luke 6:36 says: “Be merciful just as your father is merciful.” If we are going to be like Him (and that is what we are called to do), we must be full of mercy! Who can you show mercy to today?

Kim Graves