“Have mercy”

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"Have mercy" By Diane Webb

Psalms 30: 10—"Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me; be thou my helper."

We've all asked the Lord to have mercy and help us. Fortunately, God is free in his mercy for those who ask and He is able to save us—often from ourselves. Usually when we need rescuing by God, we have made a poor choice and are suffering the consequences. We all can think of circumstances where we prayed for God to "make it right"—we know we are wrong, we repent and we beg God not to let us or those we love suffer from our mistakes. Other times we ask for mercy because we are in pitiful situations we did not create ourselves but one in which only God can help. God, however, expects us to show mercy to others as well. If we want to receive mercy He expects us to give mercy to others. There are times we are called to help someone who has gotten themselves into a bad situation. They recognize their mistakes, repent, and need help making things right again. Don't we ask for God's help when we don't deserve it? Don't we receive God's mercy when we have messed up? Why then, is it so hard for us to suspend judgment and show mercy to others? If someone has gotten themselves in a bad situation of their own making, we may feel we don't need to help. It's true we don't always need to rush in to rescue someone from their mistakes. There are times when it is best to stand back and let people figure their own problems out. On the other hand, it's also true we are not to always refuse either. The difference lies in whether we have made a decision to punish or judge another person. It is never our place to judge or punish. Making them suffer a little before we help is judging. There are times when it is appropriate to let people get themselves out of the trouble they have created. Other times, it's important to have mercy and reach out a hand to help. If you are in doubt, spend a few hours or even a day praying about it. It's a good idea to pray before any decision anyway regardless of its relevant importance. When deciding whether to help another person it is very important to pray first. If we help when we are supposed to stand back we may be interfering in God's work. On the other hand, if we stand back when God wants us to help we are being disobedient. Look for feelings in yourself when discerning. If you are feeling pity versus compassion it's best to stand back a little. Compassion looks over at another person as an equal whereas pity looks down on someone. When we have pity we feel superior, stronger, and better than the other person. This is not coming from a right place to do God's work. Any time we feel better than another person we are not operating within God's will. The dynamics in such "help" is destructive. Again, it's important just to pray your way through these decisions and let the Holy Spirit lead you appropriately. The main thing to remember is that it is not our place to judge others and to decide if someone needs to suffer the consequences for their mistakes. This is God's jurisdiction. We are to demonstrate compassion and mercy towards others. Compassion and mercy does not necessarily mean you have to do what the other person is asking you to do.

I ask, Dear Father, for your guidance in the area of mercy and charity. Help me show mercy like you show mercy to me. Help me recognize when it is your will for me to help and when it's your will for me to stand back. Help me provide help from the right place in my heart. Don't let me interfere in your work by helping when you don't want me to. Don't let me refuse help when it's your will I help. I ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.