Bible Text:

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.”         (Matthew 5:7)

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. The fifth beatitude seems so simple that we might be inclined to skip forward. We already know what this means.  

That’s not been true with the other four. In order to understand “Blessed are the poor in spirit,” we must understand the complex offering of ourselves to God. We learned that “Blessed are those who mourn” is a paradox that turns life somewhat upside down. “Blessed are the meek” makes us get beyond weakness and timidity. And “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness” compels us to talk about justice issues—which sometimes make us uncomfortable. 

“Mercy” seems rather common alongside these four. We know that we should be kind. We teach it to small children who are fighting over a toy. “Be kind to each other,” we say. We enjoin mercy to a couple about to be married. We remind them of the importance of being kind to one another. We ask the question of fighting factions all across our world: “Why can’t you just be kind to each other?” 

The message of this beatitude is popularized in movies like “Pay it Forward.” Also in the popular saying, “Practice random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty.” It’s also seen in the old song from the 1930s or 1940s, which has the line, “Try a little tenderness.” 

So we might read this beatitude and move on to the next one. We are brought up short on the first four, but not necessarily this one. 

My counsel would be don’t move on too quickly. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Carlo Carretto says Jesus himself had difficulty in explaining what this meant.[i] This beatitude is not necessarily simple or easy. There is more here than first meets the eye. There are at least two or three possible meanings. Again, all of the meanings are complementary. They are interrelated to one another. 

GENEROSITY 

One of the meanings of the word “mercy” is the word “generous.” Blessed are the generous, said Jesus, for they shall obtain generosity. By this he means being generous with your possessions, your material resources. He means being generous with your time. People are God’s priority. He means being generous with your life energy, your vital force, your “élan vital.” 

Jesus said when you are generous as God is generous, good things flow. They flow like a mighty river. Remember the initial meaning of the beatitudes: “Oh, the exalted happiness of the one who follows these guidelines.” 

One of the most gratifying parts of my ministry among you is the incredible, blessed generosity of this congregation. I sense an increasing flow here. Each time we raise up a new vision I wonder, will this particular vision or this idea sap or unduly drain the energy of this congregation? 

But in every case, generosity flows. A couple of years ago we formed our faith-based health ministry here, including a parish nurse. Generosity has flowed into and out of that ministry in ways beyond my imagining. Each time we have had a sudden short-term need for a member or a household, again, generosity has flowed. 

This summer we are raising up a new comprehensive hospital ministry in the far off land of Zimbabwe. Already some of you have said, “I want to go the next time there’s a group going over. I want to be a part of this.  

We are talking about the unexplored territory of satellite worshiping congregations in various places in the South Hills. That issue raises a whole level of new complexities. And yet many of you have said, “I want to help with that. I want to be a part of that.” 

A colleague said some years ago, “Not one congregation in a hundred has any notion of its power.” I am convinced he was right. Generosity flows out of faith. When we model mercy as generosity, power flows. It flows through us, it flows from us, and then it flows back into us again. That’s God’s plan. That’s God’s design. 

KINDNESS 

Mercy also means a gentle kindness. In fact, some believe that may be its primary meaning. 

A woman went to a photographer to have her portrait made. She looked at the photographer and said in a somewhat haughty voice, “I certainly hope you can do me justice.” The photographer shot back, “Ma’am, you don’t need justice, you need mercy.” We all need mercy. We need to practice mercy. 

At this level the beatitude means simply doing kind things. We do not do them randomly but intentionally. We actively seek opportunities to do good.  

Sometimes we get so preoccupied that we forget the common decency of doing good. There’s a story about four deer hunters who went out to hunt on an early winter day. They split up into two groups of two, and agreed to meet back at the car at about one o’clock in the afternoon. When the appointed hour arrived, two of the hunters were already back, and without any success at bagging a deer. Shortly after 1 p.m. they heard one of their friends coming through the woods. Suddenly he emerged out of the woods, dragging behind him an 8-point buck. He was pretty much out of breath and extremely tired. 

The two unsuccessful hunters walked over to admire his trophy. After talking about it for a minute or two, one of the other two hunters noticed something. “Where is Bob?” they asked. 

“Oh,” said the other hunter.  “We were in the woods together when another hunter mistook Bob for a deer and took a shot at him. Bob wasn’t hurt, but the bullet did graze his skull a bit. He’s dizzy, leaning against a tree back in the woods.” 

Exclaimed the other; “You left Bob back in the woods to drag this deer out by yourself?” 

“Hey,” came the reply. “Nobody’s going to steal Bob!” 

Blessed are the merciful. Blessed are the kind. Blessed are those who practice kindness. Paul says in Ephesians, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted…” (Ephesians 4:32) Malachi says, in a very commonly quoted verse, “What does the Lord require of you, but to do justice and love kindness and to walk humbly with your God.” 

The beatitude means kind words. There are too many mean-spirited, harsh words spoken. It means kind deeds. A small act of kindness can lighten someone’s heavy load: a phone call, an e-mail message, a hug—all of them are free. They cost nothing. 

The late Fred Rogers was a master teacher of this principle. Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood was an amazing television program. It became the model for not only neighborhoods, but corporations, businesses, and even churches. Fred Rogers insisted on providing courteous, loving attention to everyone. His program was a source of endless comfort because he valued the supreme worth of all persons. 

Kindness includes kind words and kind deeds toward strangers as well. It means giving up a parking space on occasion. It means giving up the right to merge first in a traffic tie-up. (Perhaps this beatitude becomes a kind of cure for road rage!) It means giving up your special seat in church. 

Kindness may not be profound, but it is the work of God. There’s a story about a woman who was shopping one day in the early winter. She saw an 8 or 9-year old boy standing on the heating grate on the sidewalk, trying to keep warm. He had no coat and no shoes. She walked to him and said, “Young man, where’s your coat?” 

“I don’t have one,” he replied. 

“And where are your shoes?” 

“I don’t have any shoes either,” he said. 

“And I suppose you don’t have any mittens either, or socks?” He shook his head that he did not. 

“Come inside the store with me,” she said. 

They went into the store and she bought him a jacket, a pair of shoes, several pairs of socks and some gloves. When they finished shopping and she had paid the bill, they walked out the door. The boy took off like a shot down the road, probably to share his good news. Suddenly he screeched to a stop, turned around, and said to the woman, “Ma’am, are you God’s wife?”

“No,” she smiled. “I’m not God’s wife. I’m just one of God’s children.” 

“I knew it!” he said. “I knew you were some kin to God.” 

“Blessed are the merciful,” means “blessed are the kind.” 

FORGIVENESS AND FORGIVING 

But the beatitude also means “Blessed are those who know how to forgive.” This is one of the hardest pieces of this beatitude. Blessed are the forgiving, for they shall be forgiven. Carlo Carretto says we are not happy because we are unforgiving, and we are unforgiving because we feel superior to others.[ii] 

Blessed are the forgiving, for they shall obtain forgiveness. We do not forgive in order to be forgiven. Rather we forgive because we are forgiven. We are to match God’s unlimited mercy toward us.  

One of Jesus’ parables is called the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant. It’s the story of a man who owed his master a considerable sum of money. The master insisted that he pay up or go to prison. The man pleaded with his master, saying he had a family to feed and obligations to meet. The master relented and had him only pay ten cents on the dollar to satisfy his debt. 

Upon leaving the master’s hall, the servant went to others whom he supervised. They owed him money. He insisted they pay him. They said, “Sir, we cannot pay. We do not have the resources to pay. We have families and obligations.” The senior servant said, “Pay up or go to jail.” They couldn’t pay him, so he had them put in prison. 

When the master found out, Jesus told the people, he called the man in front of him. “I forgave your debt,” he said. “Could you not forgive those who are working for you? Off to prison you go.” 

The parable sounds a little harsh. But Jesus is simply trying to explain the dynamics of mercy and forgiveness. 

Years ago William Faulkner received a Nobel Prize for literature. His response is often quoted: “I believe that human beings will not only endure, but will prevail.” What is less remembered are the words that he added to this sentence: “We will prevail because we have a spirit of compassion.” 

As a recipient of God’s unlimited forgiveness, God’s steadfast love, you forgive. 

There’s a hymn we sometimes sing entitled “There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy.” The hymn begins, “There’s a wideness in God’s mercy like the wideness of the sea.” But it is verse 3 that catches my attention here. 

   For the love of God is broader than the measure of our mind,

   And the heart of the eternal is most wonderfully kind. 

 When you know the eternal one, says Jesus, you are propelled toward generosity, toward kindness, and toward forgiveness. 

We have a great vision statement for this church. It’s been in place now for more than eight years. If I were to raise up a second vision, it might be reflective of this particular beatitude. The vision is that we become a generous, kind, and forgiving community of believers. 

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Again, we are not merciful in order to get into heaven. We are not merciful to gain points in the heavenly ledger book. We are merciful to live in the flow of God, in the mainstream of God’s purpose for our journey. 

There’s a great old hymn in some of the hymnals that is entitled simply, “Showers of Blessing.” The implication is that God will send down showers of blessing upon his faithful people. The hymn implies not droplets, but a downpour. 

Jesus says God offers that downpour, God offers a deluge, God offers showers. As you live in God’s design, mercy flows. Mercy flows in you and through you and toward you in an ever increasing stream. 

When that mercy flows, you become incredibly happy. Oh, the exalted happiness, says Jesus, of those who understand the power and the meaning of mercy.