Mercy

"'Now which of  these three would you say was neighbor to the man who was attacked by thieves?' Jesus asked. The man replied, 'The one who showed him mercy.' Then Jesus said, 'Yes, now go and do the same.'" Luke 10:36-37

After being rocked by waves for over three hours, my poor wife was more than ready to move to calmer waters. As a person who struggles with motion sickness, those waves did her digestive system absolutely no favors. The boat driver took us around the point and then inside the break wall to calm waters. In so doing, he showed her great mercy. Relief was quick and gratitude was high.

The story of the Good Samaritan is one just about all of us have heard. A man jumped by thieves and left for dead. Two pass by, but then a third stops to help. One commentator made these observations: For the thieves, the man was a target to rob. For the religious leader, he was a problem to avoid. For the average church goer, he was a curiosity to look at. For the outsider, the man was a human being who needed mercy.

Jesus wanted to clearly communicate that everyone in our world is our neighbor. Mercy is calling us all to be brave and courageous. With so many hurting people all around us, this is no time to turn away. It is true that mercy is costly, just ask the Good Samaritan, just ask Jesus. If we've put our trust in Jesus and received his forgiveness and mercy, it should follow that we extend the same to others.

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