There’s something about mercy that sounds great until you have to give it—or watch someone else receive it. Micah 6:8 lays it out clearly: “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
Loving mercy. Not just tolerating it. Not just begrudgingly accepting it. Loving it. That’s the part that gets me. Because let’s be honest—mercy feels amazing when we’re on the receiving end. But when someone else, maybe someone we don’t think deserves it, gets mercy? That can be tough to swallow.
Jesus tells a story that puts this on full display. In Matthew 20, He shares the parable of the workers in the vineyard. A landowner hires workers at different times throughout the day—some early in the morning, some at noon, some with only an hour left before quitting time. At the end of the day, he pays them all the same wage. Naturally, the workers who showed up early are furious. “That’s not fair! We worked all day, and they barely worked at all!”
But the landowner (representing God) says, “Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn’t you agree to work for this wage? Or are you envious because I am generous?”
Oof. That question stings. Are we envious because God is generous? Do we struggle to love mercy when it’s extended to people we don’t think deserve it?
The heart of the gospel is that none of us deserve mercy, but Jesus freely gives it. And if we’re going to walk in step with Him, we have to learn to celebrate that mercy in others' lives, not just our own. That’s what it means to love mercy—not just in theory, but in practice.
So, who in your life needs mercy today? And will you love it when they receive it?
Peace,
Nick
Loving mercy. Not just tolerating it. Not just begrudgingly accepting it. Loving it. That’s the part that gets me. Because let’s be honest—mercy feels amazing when we’re on the receiving end. But when someone else, maybe someone we don’t think deserves it, gets mercy? That can be tough to swallow.
Jesus tells a story that puts this on full display. In Matthew 20, He shares the parable of the workers in the vineyard. A landowner hires workers at different times throughout the day—some early in the morning, some at noon, some with only an hour left before quitting time. At the end of the day, he pays them all the same wage. Naturally, the workers who showed up early are furious. “That’s not fair! We worked all day, and they barely worked at all!”
But the landowner (representing God) says, “Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn’t you agree to work for this wage? Or are you envious because I am generous?”
Oof. That question stings. Are we envious because God is generous? Do we struggle to love mercy when it’s extended to people we don’t think deserve it?
The heart of the gospel is that none of us deserve mercy, but Jesus freely gives it. And if we’re going to walk in step with Him, we have to learn to celebrate that mercy in others' lives, not just our own. That’s what it means to love mercy—not just in theory, but in practice.
So, who in your life needs mercy today? And will you love it when they receive it?
Peace,
Nick