Mercy

 Mercy

 

a choice to not give the punishment someone deserves 

 

Imagine you’re in class and your teacher warns you that you will have to go see the headmaster the next time she catches you talking during reading time. A couple of minutes later, you start talking with a friend — again. Suddenly your teacher sternly calls your name. Then she says, “Do you understand that you deserve to go see the headmaster?” You nod your head yes. “Well, today I’m going to give you mercy. You don’t have to go to the principal. But let’s really listen now, okay?” This is how God treats us. We’ve done wrong things — we’ve hit our sister, lied to our dad, or hurt our friend’s feelings. And it’s like God has said, “Do you understand that you deserve punishment? Well, I’m deciding to give you mercy instead.” Do you remember what we said the punishment for sin is? It’s being separated from God forever. But God wanted to rescue us from sin’s punishment, so what did He do? He sent Jesus. Jesus took on our punishment by dying on the cross. He made a way for us to be forgiven and become friends with God again — even though we sinned. That is amazing! Why does God give us this amazing mercy? Do we earn it somehow? No! He gives it because of who He is. He gives it because He is good and gentle and kind. And here’s one more awesome thing, God doesn’t get tired of giving mercy. The Bible tells us, “The Lord’s love never ends. His mercies never stop. They are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:22–23). God keeps giving mercy to us every single day. 

 

Luke 22.54-62, John 21.15-19

 

After Jesus was arrested, one of His disciples, Peter, was embarrassed that he’d been friends with Jesus. People asked him, “Weren’t you one of Jesus’s disciples?” Peter lied and said, “No! I don’t even know Him.” Afterward he felt so bad because he had told a lie. But after Jesus came back to life, Jesus didn’t punish Peter by pushing him away. Jesus gave him mercy. He even gave something special to Peter - the important job of building the church!

 

 

The next time others are mean to you, don’t be mean back. Do something nice for them instead, like helping them on a project. Or if your brother has to do extra house cleaning as a punishment for something he did wrong, surprise him by helping him do it. 

 

God, thank You for giving me mercy! Help me to give it to others too.