Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy. (Matthew 5:7 NIV)
The word used here for merciful is eleēmōn, a word that means “merciful, including feelings of pity, with a focus on showing compassion to those in serious need.” It would be easy to see this in financial terms, simply giving some money to meet the needs of others who are less fortunate. And that is undoubtedly an aspect of showing mercy.
But there is an aspect of showing mercy that I believe is often overlooked today. In James 2:13, mercy is contrasted with judgment. James says that “mercy triumphs over judgment.” We are swift to judge those who look, act, worship, or believe differently than we do. This is especially true in the politically charged climate of the United States. We take sides over so many different issues. And we often judge those on the other side as intolerant, hateful, ignorant, or worse.
How much better it would be if, instead of judging those on the other side, we showed mercy to them. Instead of hateful rhetoric, we responded with kindness and respect. And instead of simply dismissing them as inferior, we sought to understand what brought them to where they are.
None of that says that we have to agree with an opposing position. But if we would demonstrate mercy and understanding to those on the other side of the divide rather than judgment, it might be that we would also be shown some mercy. And maybe some of the battles that divide us would become less intense. But even if they do not, we still need to be merciful rather than judgmental in our dealings with others. Even with those it would be easy to consider as enemies. Blessed are the merciful.
