Be Merciful Just as Your Father is Merciful
Prayer for Understanding
God of wisdom, Your Word brings life and hope.
By the power of Your Spirit, open our minds to understanding, teach our hearts to love, and strengthen our wills to follow Jesus, Your Living Word. Amen.
What kind of movies do you enjoy? Romance, mystery, comedy, or action? I love action movies where the main character avenges evil and brings justice—like The Equalizer, Gladiator, or Batman.
These stories grip us because they tap into a deep longing within us—the longing for justice. We want to see the wicked held accountable, the oppressed vindicated, and the world set right.
This yearning for justice is not just a cinematic thrill—it’s a real and personal cry in our hearts. We live in a world where justice often seems elusive. Every day, we hear about violence, terrorism, corruption, and the suffering of innocent people.
From global crises to personal betrayals, injustice surrounds us, and our natural instinct is to demand retribution. When someone wrongs us, we want them to pay. When we see evil prosper, we long for justice to be served.
But then, Jesus speaks. And what He says is radical, even unsettling. He doesn’t tell us to seek revenge or demand justice on our own terms.
Continuing from last week’s passage in the Sermon on the Plain, Jesus begins His teaching with what might be the most challenging command in all of Scripture: “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”
Loving our enemies is counterintuitive. It feels unnatural. It goes against everything we feel when we’ve been wronged.
When someone insults us, we respond with a sharp word.
When someone hurts us, we want them to feel the same pain.
But Jesus calls us to a countercultural kind of love—the kind of love that doesn’t just tolerate enemies but actively seeks their good.
This was a shocking teaching for Jesus’ audience. The Jewish people were living under Roman rule, oppressed by an empire that often treated them cruelly.
They longed for liberation, for justice, and for a Messiah who would overthrow their enemies. Instead, Jesus tells them to love these very oppressors.
What does it really mean to love our enemies? It doesn’t mean being a doormat or tolerating harm.
Rather, it’s about choosing mercy over revenge, responding with kindness instead of hatred, and refusing to let bitterness take root in our hearts.
But who is our enemy, anyway? Is it really the United States? Is that why people erupted in joy when Team Canada defeated Team USA in the 4 Nations Face-Off? Until a few months ago, they were our allies.
Think about everyday moments—like when someone cuts you off in traffic. Do you lay on the horn, yell in frustration, or mutter something under your breath?
What if, instead, you let it go and remind yourself that maybe they’re rushing to an emergency or simply having a rough day? Small acts of patience and kindness reveal a heart that chooses mercy.
But sometimes, the hardest enemies to love are the ones closest to us. Some even joke that their spouse is their greatest enemy!
A family member, or a close friend—someone you trusted—may have deeply hurt you with their words or actions.
I know it’s not easy. And if it involves abuse or harm, loving your enemy does not mean staying in an unsafe situation—seek help and set boundaries.
But if the conflict stems from differences in values, opinions, or personalities, then as followers of Christ, we’re called to pray for them, seek peace, and, if possible, let go of grudges.
Forgiveness always sounds easier—until you’re the one who has to forgive.
Jesus sums up this whole teaching in one simple but powerful command: “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” The Golden Rule. Imagine what our world would look like if we all lived by it.
Even those outside the Christian faith recognize this rule as wise and ethical. But Jesus is not simply providing a moral guideline—He is calling us to a radically different way of life.
The world operates on a system of reciprocity:
Be kind to those who are kind to you.
Help those who can help you in return.
Love those who deserve it.
But Jesus calls us to break that cycle. He says:
Be merciful to everyone, not just those who deserve it.
Love even when you receive nothing in return.
Think about how this might change your daily interactions:
If you were struggling financially, how would you want others to treat you?
You would hope for generosity and compassion. So, be generous to those in need, even if they can’t repay you.
If you made a mistake, how would you want others to respond?
You would hope for understanding and forgiveness. So, be patient and forgiving when others fail.
If you were feeling lonely, how would you want others to treat you?
You would want someone to reach out and care. So, look for those who feel forgotten and extend kindness.
Living by the Golden Rule requires us to put ourselves in others’ shoes and act with the same kindness, grace, and mercy that we would hope to receive.
But let’s be honest—this is not easy.
It requires dying to our pride, overcoming our selfish tendencies, and leaning on the Holy Spirit for strength.
Yet, when we live this way, we reflect the heart of God, who treats us not as we deserve, but with extravagant love and mercy.
Jesus’ call to be merciful is not just a suggestion—it is a reflection of God's own heart toward us.
Mercy is not about ignoring justice or pretending that sin does not exist.
Rather, mercy is about choosing grace over vengeance, love over condemnation, and restoration over destruction.
But why should we be merciful, especially to those who have wronged us? Because we, too, were once enemies of God.
"For if, while we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!" (Romans 5:10)
Before we came to faith in Christ, we were His enemies because of our sins. Our rebellion, selfishness, and disobedience separated us from Him.
And yet, instead of pouring out the punishment we deserved, God showed us mercy through Jesus.
He took the first step, reaching out to us and offering reconciliation even while we were still against Him.
This is the foundation of Jesus’ command: We must be merciful to others because we have received the greatest mercy of all.
If God did not wait for us to become worthy of forgiveness, how can we withhold mercy from those who wrong us?
If God, in His perfect holiness, chose to reconcile with sinners, how can we—who are also flawed—refuse to forgive?
Jesus immediately follows this command with another crucial teaching: “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” (Luke 6:37)
Jesus is not saying we should abandon all discernment. We must still recognize right from wrong.
But He warns against a self-righteous, condemning attitude—the kind that is quick to see the faults of others while ignoring our own.
It’s easy to judge others harshly while excusing our own faults.
We look down on people who struggle in ways we don’t.
We assume the worst about their motives while expecting grace for ourselves.
But Jesus warns us that the standard we use for others will be the same one applied to us.
If we are quick to condemn, we will find condemnation waiting for us. If we judge harshly, we will receive the same in return.
I learned this lesson the hard way. There was a season in my life when I found myself being overly critical of others.
I didn’t realize how judgmental I had become—until it felt like God was determined to teach me a lesson.
Every time I criticized someone, I soon found myself in the exact same situation. It was as if God was holding up a mirror, showing me that I wasn’t as different from them as I thought.
Those experiences humbled me. They taught me that I needed the same grace I had been so reluctant to extend to others.
What happens when we choose mercy instead of judgment or choose forgiveness instead of resentment?
Jesus tells us that mercy and forgiveness will be poured back into our own lives—pressed down, shaken together, and running over.
The more we extend grace, the more we receive it.
And isn’t that what we all need?
Jesus then paints a vivid picture of generosity: “A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap.” (Luke 6:38)
In Jesus’ time, grain was sold in baskets. A seller could be stingy—giving just enough to fill the surface level—or they could be generous, pressing the grain down, shaking it to remove air pockets, and pouring until the basket overflowed.
That’s the image Jesus gives us of how God responds to those who live generously.
The principle is clear: The more we pour out, the more we will receive. If we are generous with love, grace, and forgiveness, we will experience God’s abundant blessings in return.
But if we hold back—if we love only when it’s easy, forgive only when we feel like it, and give only when it benefits us—then we limit the blessings we could receive.
This doesn’t mean giving to get rich or forgiving to earn God’s favor.
Rather, it’s about reflecting the very heart of God, who gives extravagantly.
When we live with open hands—freely loving, freely forgiving, freely giving—we open ourselves up to receive more than we could ever imagine.
Jesus’ teaching in this passage is not just about morality—it is about reflecting the very character of God.
Love your enemies, because God loved us when we were His enemies.
Do to others as you would have them do to you because that is how God treats us.
Forgive, because you have been forgiven.
Give, because you have received far more than you deserve.
This is what it means to be a disciple. It is not easy, and it goes against everything the world teaches us. But it is the way of Jesus.
So today, ask yourself:
Where have I been holding on to bitterness instead of offering mercy?
Who do I need to forgive, even if they don’t deserve it?
Have I been judging others harshly rather than looking at my own heart?
Am I living with an open, generous spirit, or am I holding back?
Jesus calls us to a life of mercy, generosity, and radical love—not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it is the way of the kingdom.
And when we choose this path, we will see God’s blessings poured into our lives—pressed down, shaken together, and running over.
So go, and be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word that challenges and transforms us. Teach us to be people of mercy, not judgment. Help us to extend the same grace and forgiveness that You have so freely given to us. When we are tempted to be harsh, soften our hearts. When we struggle to forgive, remind us of Your boundless love. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.