A Love for Mercy

By: Rebekah Hargraves

 

Photo Courtesy Of: Miriam G

 “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?" 

~Micah 6:8

This is a verse that many of us are fairly familiar with, as it has been quoted many a time the past couple years, specifically because of what it says about justice.

But there is another part of the verse that has been standing out to me so strongly over the past few months, and it has resulted in a rather painful personal heart check.

Do I actually love mercy?

If God showed mercy to those whose business is trafficking men, women, and children, would I love that?

Would I love to see mercy shown to the people who killed Breonna Taylor or Ahmaud Arbury?

Would I love to see mercy shown to the producers of the Netflix film “Cuties”?

Would I love to see mercy shown to the rioters and looters who are beat people, burned homes, terrorized families, and destroyed businesses a couple years ago?

Would I love to see mercy shown to the person on the “other side of the aisle” who I think is guilty of so many atrocities?

To be honest with you, I don’t know that I would. But that is precisely what I am called to.

 If I am to be like Christ, I am to love mercy - regardless of who it is shown to. And I am to remember that I am no better than any of the people I just mentioned. I am to acknowledge that when a sinner turns to Christ, when someone guilty of the things mentioned above receives mercy from Christ, it is a modern-day case of exactly what happened to our beloved Apostle Paul. If I can rejoice over the mercy shown to him after all the atrocities he committed, then I can do the same if someone like those I mentioned above turns to Christ and receives mercy. Who am I to be angry over that or to demand judgement and retribution instead?

If God shows mercy, may we rejoice! May we love it, may we rejoice as the angels up in Heaven rejoice. Lord, help us to rejoice!