I often see people
who have less than I. Do I show them kindness or do I look past it? This makes
me uncomfortable… But perhaps I’m experiencing a Godly discomfort. At market
one day, I had to decide whether to give money to someone who asked, saying she
wanted to go visit her family in the hospital. Another time, a woman asked me
to purchase items from her so she could take her son to the hospital for his
stomach pains. A student asked for extra time to write an assignment since that
person struggles. Where’s the line between mercy and judgment? When am I
enabling something negative and calling it “mercy”? When am I “refusing to be
naïve” or “sticking to the law” and crossing the line into judgment?
Jesus chose mercy to “the least of these” (Matt. 25) and
spoke more sternly to those who judged. How do I choose mercy in those
situations when there’s not a clear answer? When is mercy tough love? Perhaps
in the difficult situations, the Holy Spirit leads and utter dependence on Him
will guide me. The only thing I have settled is that a revelation of God’s
mercy for me and for His people will propel me into showing mercy to others.
James 2:13 – “Mercy without judgment will be shown to anyone
who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”
