Human Nature Woefully Lacks Mercy

Luke 6:28

Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.

The supercharged, divisive mindset that has been covering our nation since the election sure does stir up everyone's emotions.  Strike back!  Respond in defense!  Prove that I am right!  All of these are natural human responses to conflict.

As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are called to follow a different standard.  "Love thy neighbor as thyself" requires a supernatural response when we run into personal conflict.  We are called to express the love of Christ in each instance.  This may require having to forgive the person in the heat of the conflict.  Only our strength through Jesus Christ allows us to meet this standard.

On the Cross, Jesus prayed that His murderers would be forgiven by His Father.  Stephen, the martyred disciple of Jesus, in his dying moments also showed us the standard to which we are called as he asked for forgiveness for those who were stoning him.  To meet this standard of mercy, we need supernatural strength.   When it comes to facing the day-to-day conflicts in our lives, the supernatural grace of God is required.  Our human nature will be woefully insufficient.  It is through His grace and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that we are able to consistently respond in a manner that reflects the discipline of a follower of Jesus Christ.

Let us be merciful just as Our Heavenly Father is merciful to us.  Let us bless those that hurt us.  Let us pray for those that have come against us.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we thank You loving us first so that we may love You and love those around us.  We thank You for the mercy that You extended to us through the redemptive blood of Your Son, Jesus, so that we may extend mercy to those who we come in conflict with us.  We thank You for forgiving us of our sins so that we may be able to forgive those who sin against us.  We pray, Father, for the grace and the strength to release to the world the overflow of the lovingkindness that You poured out on us. We ask all these things in the name of the Slain Lamb, Jesus Christ.