City Life Starter

Written by Scott Fiddler

The Word

⁷ “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

Matthew 5:7 (NASB)

¹³ For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.

James 2:13 (NASB)

Commentary

Last week I was watching The Godfather, Part II, you know, the part where Michael Corleone’s (Al Pacino) sister, Connie (Talia Shire), is trying to get Michael to forgive his brother Fredo for betraying him.  Michael had every right to be angry at Fredo and had refused to meet or talk with him. But Connie reminds Michael she had forgiven Michael for killing her husband. Connie told Michael if she could forgive Michael, Michael should forgive Fredo. Michael is persuaded and shows Fredo mercy, and as a result, a family that was once estranged is reconciled. It’s a great example of the power of mercy over judgment. I should mention, however, that at the end of the movie, Michael has Fredo whacked while he is fishing on Lake Tahoe, so maybe this is not the best example. I will move on.

Mercy is compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm. This is what God has done to a world that has rebelled against Him. He has the power to punish eternally all who have sinned against Him. He would be perfectly just in doing so.  Instead, He has shown mercy through the offer of the cross. For the last 2,000 years, that mercy has been transforming rebels into those who love Him.

Mercy has been a conspicuous characteristic of some of history’s greatest leaders; Cyrus the Great of Persia and Byzantine Emperor, Theodosius I, come to mind. For these and other leaders, those who have been the recipient of their mercy usually have betrayed the trust of the king through a plot against him. They deserve judgment, which is justice, but instead they are shown mercy. It is an offer they cannot refuse.

But for those of us who do not have the power to send people to the gallows, what we can’t do in reality we do internally. We render judgment in our minds against those who have wronged us and lock them away in our hearts where we punish them with our thoughts. To us it feels right, but it is not driven by justice because we are unworthy judges. Like Michael Corleone, we too are as culpable as those we refuse to forgive. And as we indulge in our misguided justice, that justice is transformed into bitterness; and then it seems no matter how hard we try to get out, it keeps pulling us back in.

Application

Showing mercy, however, is better than judgment because it frees us from the hypocrisy of rendering judgment and the bitterness of keeping others locked in our internal prisons.  Showing mercy turns those who have rebelled against us into friends. Showing mercy makes us like God.

Prayer

Lord, help me to forgive those who have wronged that I may be merciful as You are merciful. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.