In a world that often feels divided, mercy has the power to transform both the giver and the receiver. It's not just for those like us, but for everyone—the overlooked, the outcast, and even those who've hurt us. In this blog, we share five ways to reflect God’s mercy. 

Mercy in Society

Many would agree that our communities feel more polarized than ever. Although our digital lives can feel like a landing page of high contention, our daily existence doesn’t lack interpersonal difficulty and grievances either. 

These days, mercy seems an elusive and even antiquated concept. Yet, at the heart of the Christian faith, this virtue is the basis of community and holds transformative power—both for the giver and the receiver. 

This blog aims to inspire and challenge you to embrace giving mercy by reflecting on the boundless grace we’ve received through Christ.

Mercy as a Spiritual Discipline

What is Mercy? 

Before examining how to show mercy, we should identify what it is. The Christian resource guide Got Questions defines mercy as:

 “On a human level, mercy is the benevolent or compassionate treatment of someone suffering or in need. On a divine level, mercy is the foundation of forgiveness expressed in God’s pardon of human sin.”

Mercy is not only a defining characteristic of God but also a defining trait of His relationship with humanity. Instead of the punishment we deserve for our sins, God revealed the ultimate display of mercy through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross and His resurrection. While we’re dead to our sins (Ephesians 2:1), we have a path to reconciliation with God because of Christ's sacrifice.  

In our humanity, when we reflect on the attributes and teachings of Christ, mercy can take the forms of:

• Forgiveness: The act of overcoming anger and resentment.

• Kindness: A tender and considerate treatment of others. 

• Compassion: Heartfelt care and concern toward those suffering or in need.

• Corporal works: Acts of tangible care for others that meet their basic needs.

• Spiritual works: Acts of love that address the spiritual needs and well-being of others.

What Did Jesus Say About Mercy

During the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus shared the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:2-11), a series of teachings describing the attitudes and characteristics that embody the values of the Kingdom of Heaven. When reviewing the Beatitudes, we see Jesus share that before we can get right with our neighbor, we must examine our own hearts before God. He outlines this in verses three through six.

• Recognition of sin (Matthew 5:3)

• Mourning our sin (Matthew 5:4)

• Exhibit humility (Matthew 5:5)

• Seek God’s righteousness through repentance (Matthew 5:6):

It’s only when we enter the second half of the Beatitudes, after we’ve sought God’s righteousness, that we shift to engaging others, and it begins with mercy. 

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” Matthew 5:7

Although this verse is brief, we can extrapolate that Jesus definitely doesn’t say those who:

• Look and talk like you.

• Go to the same school and church.

• Vote the same way.

• Hold the same beliefs.

Throughout Jesus’ ministry, we see repeated examples of Him showing mercy to those society overlooks, including the hungry, sick, oppressed, suffering, and outcast. A few examples include The Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), healing the sick (Matthew 8:1-4, 9:20-22), comments on “the least of these” (Matthew 25:31-46), and association with sinners (Matthew 9:10-13). 

With that consideration, be reminded that these individuals are still with us! We likely encounter them every day, either in the streets or in our news stories, such as: 

• Those unable to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.

• The immigrant we’ve been told to fear.

• The addict who lost all of their opportunities.

What would it look like for us to extend grace to these people? As author John Stott wrote in his study of the Beatitudes, “If God’s mercy extends to them, so must our mercy.”

But mercy isn’t only about compassion for society’s overlooked and needy—even in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus repeatedly calls believers to not only pray for those who offend us (Matthew 5:44) but to forgive them (Matthew 6:14-15). 

Stott follows his aforementioned statement with a challenging question: “What risks do you think others have taken in showing mercy to you?” Personally, that question stings. If we can’t show mercy to those closest to us—especially when they’ve hurt us—how can we expect to show mercy to “the least of these”?

Jesus’ call to mercy encompasses both forgiveness for those who sin against us and compassion for the vulnerable. If we extend mercy by feeding and clothing the needy yet refuse to forgive our brother or sister, can we truly call ourselves merciful? Jesus enabled God’s mercy toward us through the cross—forgiveness we neither earn nor deserve (Ephesians 2:8-9). If God continually shows us this mercy and commands us to do the same, what does it reveal about our hearts if we withhold it from others?

How Do I Reflect God’s Mercy?

No one is blameless before God, and as the Beatitudes establish, the first step is to recognize and repent of our sins toward Him. When we recognize our sins toward God, the magnitude of mercy we’ve been given starts to sink in. 

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant details how a servant with much debt was forgiven but failed to forgive another for a significantly smaller debt. However, look at what prompted Jesus to share this parable:

"Then Peter came up and said to him, ‘Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.’" Matthew 18:21-22

Repentance is a heart posture that not only expresses great sorrow for sin but also a deep desire to turn from it to such a degree that we share that same mercy God showed us with others. In his study of the Beatitudes, read how Stott summarized this story:

“The point of [The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant] is not that we merit mercy by mercy or forgiveness by forgiveness. The point is that we cannot receive the mercy and forgiveness of God unless we repent, and we cannot claim to have repented of our sins if we are unmerciful toward the sins of others.”

Love is the ultimate characteristic of the Father (1 Corinthians 13:13; 1 John 4:8, 16). It’s why He sacrificed His Son (Romans 5:8); He desired reconciliation with us (John 3:16). No true act of mercy, whether that’s forgiveness, kindness, tangible or spiritual works, is done outside of love.  

So, how do we posture our hearts to show mercy to reflect how Jesus loves us?

1) Love is Active

Whether wronged or aware of the vulnerable, we perpetually live with the choice to show mercy or indifference. When we have to set aside our pride, finances, and time to show mercy, we demonstrate that love is active. To express love is a willingness to fight and sacrifice for someone (1 John 3:18). Whether that’s through advocacy, compassion, or forgiveness, no act of mercy can be fulfilled in anger or complacency. As Christ actively pursues us (Luke 19:10, John 10:11), our reflective mercy should also be an active pursuit. 

2) God-Given Worth

In Matthew 25:40, Jesus shared, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” When we recognize people’s God-given worth, we actively promote God’s original design for society.

Throughout Ephesians, Paul repeatedly calls for believers to move in love, be grounded in love, and know Christ's love (Ephesians 3:14-19). It’s not because it’s kindness for kindness’ sake but because it’s an outpouring of the Father’s most overwhelming characteristic, love. Without love, we deny people their God-given worth as someone made in His image. 

3) Consider Your Source

While extending mercy may feel beyond your internal capacities, consider your source of love. The Apostle Paul closed his prayer in Ephesians 3: “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us…(3:20).” 

Consider that power; Where our heart has been attacked by betrayal or indifference, Christ’s power is available to you to impart the same mercy He’s shown us. The Apostle Paul tells us that Christ’s love surpasses knowledge and fills us with God’s fullness (Ephesians 3:19). If showing mercy seems unfathomable, remember that God’s love surpasses understanding and is readily available. 

4) Have Patience

This extraordinary experience of love may be too intense to grasp in one sitting. If you say, “This sounds great, but I’m not there yet,” then here’s your challenge: Enter this calling to mercy with a heart postured for patience and obedience. Focus on the first half of the Beatitudes, and God will meet a repentant heart.

In Devotions for a Deeper Life, Oswald Chambers wrote: 

“Obedience is the means whereby you show the earnestness of your desire to do God's will. Through obedience you will receive, as a gift of God, this perfect adjustment of the personality of holiness—the life of Jesus Christ manifested in your mortal flesh.” (Devotion: January 24)

5) Mercy is Unto

Finally, be reminded that while mercy is beneficial to our lives, this isn’t solely about us, but what it’s unto. Reflecting God’s mercy, showing it to “the least of these” and those who've hurt us, is about worship and pursuing righteousness. As Paul shared in the aforementioned prayer, “according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory (Ephesians 3:20-21, emphasis added).” 

TL;DR

1. Mercy is a defining characteristic of God and His relationship with humanity.

2. Jesus calls us to show mercy to both the vulnerable and those who have wronged us.

3. Showing mercy is an active reflection of God's love for us.

4. True repentance leads to extending mercy to others.

5. Mercy is an act of worship and pursuit of righteousness.

Related Reading

Discovering Goodness and Mercy for Your Life by Rev. Paul Lawler

Loving Well Those We Disagree With by Rev. Jacky Gatliff

How to Forgive Those Who’ve Hurt You by Rev. Paul Lawler