Am I worthy of mercy?
Here's the thing about mercy. It has nothing to do with worthiness. The very act of mercy indicates the recipient is not worthy of it.
Mercy - compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm.
When I ask for mercy, I am acknowledging that I don't deserve it.
A woman cried out to Jesus,
"Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David!"
And here's the kicker. Jesus first didn't even say a thing. He seemingly ignored her. Which I'm sure caused her to cry out all the more. Then the disciples get into it with Jesus. "Send her away." Shut this lady up. She is disrupting the crowd and their ability to listen to Jesus.
To add insult to injury, Jesus seemingly insults her. "It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to their little dogs." There is no getting around it. Jesus called her a dog.
"Yes, Lord," she said, "yet their little dogs also eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." I know I'm not worthy. This is a healthy thing to acknowledge.
You are not worthy of mercy. That's what makes mercy, mercy. That's what makes it so beautiful. And here's what that brings.
"Woman, your faith is great!"
This is what Jesus wanted: nothing to give back to him, only hands to receive.
I struggle with my faith wondering if there is something I must do to be worthy of the mercy God shows me. No. There is not. That's exactly what God wants.
Let his mercy be mercy. Let the worthiness of Jesus and his expression of love for me be enough. Receive the gift he gives without strings. Live in real mercy.
Comments