The Gift of Mercy
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Lesson 9
Lesson 9
Do you have a real heart for people? Do you feel tenderness toward others? Do you look for ways of showing kindness? Do you have a desire to see people love one another to a greater degree? If so, you probably have the gift of mercy.
One of the foremost characteristics of the person gifted with mercy is love, and of all the apostles John is the one who wrote the most about love: the love of God, the commandments of Jesus to love one another, and extensive admonitions to the early believers about love. John valued love highly and often referred to himself as “the one whom Jesus loved.”
Very often, men think that mercy is a feminine gift. It is neither feminine nor masculine; it is a character quality that every believer is to manifest.
If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.
What does it mean to love your brother? Who is your brother? What sort of love is referred to here?
In what sense is it a lie to say you love God if you don’t also love your brother? Why can’t a person love others without loving God first?
The gift of mercy is a gift of action and not just emotion only. As we read through the following verses notice how John illustrates that concept.
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
Characteristics of the Gift of Mercy
Those with the gift of mercy have a great ability to fell the joy or distress of others.
Those with the gift of mercy are able to identify with others and to vicariously experience what others are going through.
Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.
3. Those with a gift of mercy desire to alleviate hurt in others.
4. Those with the gift of mercy are very sensitive to statements and actions that may hurt others.
5. Those with the gift of mercy have an ability to sense unconditional love and to detect expressions of love that are insincere or hypocritical.
6. Those with a gift of mercy have a great need for friendship.
7. Those with the gift of mercy are reluctant to speak against any person, regardless of what they have done.
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
What does it mean to be tenderhearted? How is this done?
Warnings to Those Gifted in Mercy
Being too emotional to the point of losing sight of the greater purposes of God
Being weak and indecisive
Being too quick to draw conclusions in defense of those who are being criticized or hurt
Being Too forward in their desire to minister to others with their presence, forgiveness and kindness
Failing to note when acts of mercy and unconditional love cross an invisible line and become expressions of sexual desire
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
Notice that the qualities of love listed in these verses are all associated with forgiving others. Why is this Paul’s focus concerning love? What does this teach about the gift of mercy?
The Godly Expression of Mercy
Attentive: Watchful over those whoa re in need or trouble of any kind.
Sensitive: Aware of needs in others even without them saying anything.
Fair: Desiring impartiality and fairness.
Compassionate: Feeling the hurts of others, as if they were their own.
Gentle: Soft-spoken, tender, and caring.
Yielding: Willing to give way to the wishes of others so that harmony and peace might prevail in a person’s heart.
Sacrificial: Willing to suffer if it will help another person.
But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.
How do these verses apply to a person with the gift of mercy? How do they apply to all Christians, regardless of spiritual gifts?
When have you been unthankful toward God? How has He demonstrated kindness to you just the same? How can this help you exercise the gift of mercy toward others?
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Why did Paul command us to be imitators “as dear children”? How does a child imitate his father? How can this help you imitate God’s love?
What does it mean to “walk in love”? How is this done? How is “walking” more active and deliberate than “standing”? How does this relate to loving others?
If the church is to be a family, then love, kindness, tenderness, forgiveness and mercy must be freely flowing. Any body of believers that is characterized by mercy is going to be healthy. Those who show mercy are going to provide a spiritually helpful balance to those who have other ministry gifts.
By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us.
What does it mean to have boldness in the day of judgment? How does love provide this boldness? How might this boldness influence one’s exercise of the gift of mercy?
How does perfect love cast out fear? What role does God’s love for us play in this process?