Mercy and Forgiveness
Compassion and Mercy
Reflection By Scott Stoner
Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
- Luke 6:36-37
One characteristic of mercy is that it is the free offering of compassion to another by someone who has the freedom to choose whether to give or withhold that offering. And so we see in the passage above that forgiveness is included as an expression of mercy.
Extending forgiveness to someone who has hurt us is an expression of mercy because our decision to offer forgiveness is a choice we are free to make. When we extend forgiveness, we act in a way that shows mercy to the person who has caused the hurt.
I remember many years ago when I chose to offer forgiveness to someone who had hurt me. I discovered that not only was I offering a gift of mercy to the other person, but it also turned out to be a gift for me. I felt lighter and freer as I let go of my hurt and resentment.
The mercy of God is both our source and our model for being merciful. This is why Jesus said, “Be merciful just as your Father is merciful.” We are the recipients of God’s mercy, and then, in turn, we are called to be the ones who extend that mercy to others. Just as we are offered the gift of forgiveness from God, we also seek to provide that gift of forgiveness to others.
Making it Personal: What do you think of the idea that forgiveness is an act of mercy? Is there someone in your life to whom you would like to extend the mercy of forgiveness? What benefits do you see for others and for yourself when you choose to extend compassion and mercy?