Matthew 5:7

Matthew 5:7

With the disciples sitting at the feet of Jesus and the multitude pressing close to hear every word that passed from the lips of Jesus, He changes from the disciple’s relationship with God to our relationship with mankind.

⁷ Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy. ⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. ⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God. ¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ¹¹ Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. ¹² Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Of all the personality traits outlined in the Bible, showing mercy toward your fellow man is the most Godlike trait any person can have. Many have viewed God the Father as a stern, vengeful God. This couldn’t be further from the truth for the Father’s love was shown in every action Christ performed while on earth.

God is Himself the source of all mercy. His name is “merciful and gracious.” Exodus 34:6. He does not treat us according to what we deserve. He does not ask if we are worthy of His love, but He pours upon us the riches of His love, to make us worthy. He is not vindictive. He seeks not to punish, but to redeem.

I John 4:19 tells us: “We love because He (God) first loved Us.” Without Christ the heart of man is by nature cold and dark and unloving. Whenever one manifests a spirit of mercy and forgiveness, he does it not of himself, but through the influence of the Holy Spirit moving upon his heart.

Job when he summarized his defense said: “¹² Because I delivered the poor who cried out, the fatherless and the one who had no helper. ¹³ The blessing of a perishing man came upon me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy. ¹⁴ I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; My justice was like a robe and a turban. ¹⁵ I was eyes to the blind, and I was feet to the lame. ¹⁶ I was a father to the poor and I searched out the case that I did not know. Job 29:12-16

The merciful are “partakers of the divine nature,” and in them the compassionate love of God finds expression. All whose hearts are in sympathy with the heart of Infinite Love will seek to reclaim and not to condemn. Christ dwelling in the soul is a spring of living water that will never run dry. Where He abides, there will be an overflowing of generosity.

To the appeal of the erring, the tempted, the wretched victims of sin, the Christian or the Church should never ask, “Are they worthy?” Instead our attitude should be how can be a benefit to them? In the most wretched, the most debased, the Christian should see souls whom Christ died to save and for whom God has given to His church the ministry of reconciliation.

When the Christian sitting in the pews can show this kind of Mercy, then they in turn will receive mercy.

Matthew 7:13 – 14 says. “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.   Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

How can they find the narrow way if we fail to show them mercy. If the light is God is truly shining forth from our hearts then we can light their way to the narrow gate.

Then he continued . . .