Be Merciful

Everyone wants mercy and understanding when they morally fail, but how many are willing reciprocate when others fail? There probably isn’t a human alive who has not done something wrong in spite of knowing better (excluding infants of course). That’s the nature of fallen man. We can talk about personal responsibility later. We cannot afford to get all sanctimonious when people do fail. “They should get what they have coming, they knew better!” Come on Christian, are you telling us that you haven’t done something wrong, even while knowing better? Even as a Blood-bought, born again Christian? Let’s get real!

 Yes, it can be very difficult to be kind and forgiving to someone who might be considered despicable. It is easier to give a nice person a pass, but a jerk who can forebear? What does Jesus say about this?

 Matthew 5:44-48 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in Heaven: for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect.

Do you see how our Father extends love and kindness to the unjust? Were you once unjust, yourself?  Think about this: Ephesians says we were formerly darkness; not in darkness (see Ephesians 5:8). We don’t want to live in the past; however, we don’t want to forget from whence we came.

Romans 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

Keep Your Eye On the Goal

When Jesus came to the earth, what was His mission? To seek and save the lost (see Matthew 18:11; Luke 19:10). In the Great Commission (see Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15;), He pretty well handed us the same mission. Part of making disciples of all nations includes reconciling the lost onto God.  Do you desire the lost to be saved or condemned?  There is an attitude to maintain when it comes to reconciling others onto God. If we fail to keep it at the forefront of our mind, we start from behind.

2 Corinthians 5:18-19 And all things are of God, Who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

Think Like a Surgeon, and Detach

When a surgeons remove tumors from their patients, do they hold the tumors against them? Generally, they are emotionally detached from the situation, and take care of business. In relation to the patients, they may feel some apprehension, because they do not want to cause further damage, or even death. That’s because they have concern for the patient.

What if we viewed sin and failure from the same standpoint? In other words, are we more concerned about people’s welfare and where they spend eternity, than the sin itself? More importantly, what about being concerned with how it affects God’s heart? They were (and are) important enough to Him to send Jesus to die for their sins. His concern is removing the sin, so they can spend eternity with Him. Love should move us to compassion for the sinner, and believers who stumbled.

Sin and failure do not belong in humans, but it’s there anyway. It is the result of the fall. Nonetheless, sin and failure do not have to remain. People have a choice, and we as disciples can make them aware of it. Apart from Jesus Christ, they are powerless over sin. How can we hold sin against them, especially since we’ve been forgiven of ours?

In the grand scheme of things, our focus should be the salvation of others; not their shortcomings.

James 5:19-20 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.  

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