Wednesday, November 08, 2017

Mercy and Compassion (Zechariah 7:9-10)

Today’s scripture: Zechariah 7:9-10

Sometimes, mercy and compassion seem to go hand-in-hand.

If I’m going to show mercy toward someone, I also need to show them compassion.

We’ve defined mercy as not getting what we do deserve. Compassion can be defined as “
sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it(Merriam-Webster Dictionary).

So if these attributes are put together …

If someone wrongs me and then shows true remorse, I should “desire to alleviate” the other’s “distress” by not giving him what he does deserve: condemnation.

And this is where a bit of grace comes in …

I need to forgive that “someone” (in other words, give him what he does not deserve).

Mercy and compassion … and grace.

Hand-in-hand. 

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