“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” — Jesus in Matthew
Mercy is compassion with sleeves rolled up for a purpose.
Mercy.. it is real love that does something for people.
Do you often take the time to pray, and to show interest in other people? Do you show interest in their interests ahead of even your own interests? I mean show interest in their lives, their feelings, their struggles? Do you keep it simple show them mercy (I get it if they keep on hurting you)?
Jesus lived like that--merciful. Even showing love toward those who made themselves his enemies.
In Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, one of the Beatitudes is “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7).
Mercy is what we express when we are led by the Spirit of God to be compassionate in our attitudes, our words, and our actions.
It is more than a mere feeling of sympathy toward someone; it is love enacted.
Mercy in a believer desires to the answer to their own prayer.. desires to be used of God to meet some immediate needs of others, to alleviate the suffering, the loneliness, and the grief inside.
Mercy addresses physical, emotional, financial, or spiritual crises with generous, self-sacrificial service. Mercy is a champion of the lowly, poor, exploited, and forgotten and mercy often acts on their behalf.
Check out Jesus in Matthew 20:29–34. Here's a really good example of mercy for us to note: “As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, ‘Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!’ The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, ‘Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!’ Jesus stopped and called them. ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ he asked. ‘Lord,’ they answered, ‘we want our sight.’ Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately, they received their sight and followed Him.”
Notice that the blind men associated mercy not with a feeling but with an action. Their physical problem was that they couldn’t see, so to them, the act of mercy was Christ’s intervention to restore their sight. Mercy is more than mere empathy or a feeling; it is always followed by a wise, compassionate action.
Jesus healed cuz he is merciful. Remember His miracle of healing cuz of this (Matt. 20:29–34)?
Check out the Text. And Mark 10:46–52 indicates only one blind man, but Matthew states there were two. It is likely that Bartimaeus (mentioned by Mark) was the better known of the two and the one who took the lead in coming to Jesus. This miracle is a picture of salvation. The two men were blind, and every lost sinner is blind (2 Cor. 4:1–6). They were poor beggars, and the lost sinner is poverty-stricken apart from Christ (Luke 7:40–50). They cried out to Jesus, who alone can open men’s eyes. He showed them mercy; they were not healed by their praying or their crying. The crowd tried to stop them, and the world today tries to keep sinners from coming to Christ. The touch of Christ healed them, and they proved that their lives had changed by following Him.
What shall we have (Matt. 19:27–20:16)? The parable is not about salvation, for we cannot work for salvation; nor is it about rewards, for we do not all receive the same reward. The story concerns the selfish attitude implicit in Peter’s question. The key to the parable is that the first workers hired demanded a contract and insisted on knowing how much they would get. The other workers trusted the landowner. If you ask God for a contract, you will only rob yourself, for He is generous with His workers. Be faithful to do your job and avoid watching the other workers, and He will deal with you generously.
What do you wish (20:17–28)? Salome remembered His promise (19:28) and claimed it for her two sons. But she forgot what Jesus had just said about the cross (20:17–19). She should have known that the only way to glory is through suffering (1 Pet. 5:10). You do not pray for a throne; you pay for it. Beware selfish prayers: the Lord may answer them. James was the first apostle to be martyred (Acts 12:1–2), and John experienced great trial as a Roman prisoner (Rev. 1:9).
What do you want Me to do for you (20:29–34)? Rightly Wiersbe says they knew what they wanted, and they trusted Him for it. Do you know what you want when you come to Him in prayer? Do you persist even if others try to discourage you? What a promise we have in Hebrews 4:16!
And What was The Context of Jesus' Last Week? The events during our Lord’s last week are as follows: Sunday—He entered Jerusalem as King. Monday—He cleansed the temple and cursed the fig tree. Tuesday—He debated with the Jewish leaders and gave the Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24–25). Wednesday—He rested. Thursday—He had the Last Supper; He was arrested in the Garden. Friday—He was crucified and buried. Saturday—He lay in the tomb. Sunday—He arose from the dead. Keep in mind that the Jewish day begins with sundown, so that their Friday begins Thursday evening.
This gift has a practical application of active service as well as a responsibility to do so cheerfully (Romans 12:8). Additionally, we are all called to be merciful. Jesus says in Matthew 25:40 that “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for Me.” Matthew 5:7 promises mercy to those who are merciful toward others. As spiritually dead and blind sinners, we are no better off than the two blind men in Matthew 20. Just as they were utterly dependent on Christ’s compassion to restore their sight, so are we dependent on Him to “show us His mercy and grant us His salvation” (Psalm 85:7). This bedrock understanding that our hope depends on Christ’s mercy alone and not in any merit of ours should inspire us to follow Christ’s example of compassionate service and show mercy to others as it has been shown to us. Define God's kind of mercy. Mercy describes a divine attribute of God’s nature—He is “rich in mercy” (Ephesians 2:4), and His “mercy is great” (2 Samuel 24:14; see also Daniel 9:9). Mercy is revealed in the actions God takes to relieve suffering and demonstrate His faithfulness and steadfast love. Mercy is such an exceptionally complex concept that several Hebrew and Greek words are used to express the dimensions of its meaning. Synonyms like compassion, lovingkindness, favor, and steadfast love often appear in Bible translations to illustrate the idea of mercy. A brief biblical definition of mercy is “the gift of God’s undeserved kindness and compassion.” On a human level, mercy is the benevolent or compassionate treatment of someone suffering or in need. Mercy is an attitude that moves us to act on behalf of the unfortunate. On a divine level, mercy is the foundation of forgiveness expressed in God’s pardon of human sin. By His divine quality of mercy, God remains faithful to His covenant promises and His relationship with His people despite their unworthiness and faithlessness (Deuteronomy 30:1–6; Isaiah 14:1; Romans 9:15–16, 23; Ephesians 2:4–9).
When God revealed Himself to Moses, He emphasized the prominence of His mercy: “The Lord passed in front of Moses, calling out, ‘Yahweh! The Lord! The God of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations. I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin. But I do not excuse the guilty’” (Exodus 34:6–7, NLT).
In God’s mercy, He shows leniency. He withholds punishment from sinners even though they deserve it: “But in your great mercy, you did not destroy them completely or abandon them forever. What a gracious and merciful God you are!” (Nehemiah 9:31, NLT). God’s mercy also causes Him to give good gifts to those who are undeserving: “Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us” (Luke 1:78, NLT). Thus, mercy is related to grace.
Jesus Christ is the fullest, most dynamic expression of God’s mercy (Ephesians 2:4–5). In His earthly ministry, Jesus demonstrated compassion and mercy for the helpless and suffering (Matthew 9:36; 14:14; 20:34; Mark 6:34; Luke 7:13). Mercy motivated Christ to give “himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Ephesians 5:2; see also Galatians 2:20) so that through Him we might be forgiven of our sins (Hebrews 2:17) and granted the gift of eternal life (1 Peter 1:3; 1 Timothy 1:14–16; Jude 1:21).
In Titus 3:4–7, the apostle Paul gives us one of the best descriptions of God’s mercy as revealed in Jesus Christ: “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” God’s mercy not only forgives and saves us but also withholds the punishment we deserve.
The Bible beckons Christians “to love mercy” (Micah 6:8) and “be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36). Believers must show the same mercy and compassion toward one another that God demonstrates toward them (Zechariah 7:9; Matthew 5:7; 18:33–35; Colossians 3:12; James 2:12–13; 1 Peter 3:9). Mercy is also pronounced as a greeting and a blessing on God’s people (1 Timothy 1:2; 2 Timothy 1:16–18; 2 John 3; Jude 1:2, 21). Mercy and grace are closely related. While the terms have similar meanings, grace and mercy are not exactly the same. Mercy has to do with kindness and compassion; it is often spoken of in the context of God’s not punishing us as our sins deserve. Grace includes kindness and compassion, but also carries the idea of bestowing a gift or favor. It may help to view mercy as a subset of grace. In Scripture, mercy is often equated with a deliverance from judgment (e.g., Deuteronomy 4:30–31; 1 Timothy 1:13), and grace is always the extending of a blessing to the unworthy. According to the Bible, we have all sinned (Ecclesiastes 7:20; Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8). As a result of that sin, we all deserve death (Romans 6:23) and eternal judgment in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:12–15). Given what we deserve, every day we live is an act of God’s mercy. If God gave us all what we deserve, we would all be, right now, condemned for eternity. In Psalm 51:1–2, David cries out, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.” Pleading for God’s mercy is asking Him to show kindness and withhold the judgment we deserve.
We deserve nothing good from God. God does not owe us any good thing. What good we experience is a result of the grace of God (Ephesians 2:5). Grace is simply defined as “unmerited favor.” God favors us—He shows us approval and kindness—in blessing us with good things that we do not deserve and could never earn. Common grace refers to the blessings that God bestows on all of mankind regardless of their spiritual standing before Him, while saving grace is that special blessing whereby God sovereignly bestows unmerited divine assistance upon His elect for their regeneration and sanctification.
Mercy and grace are evident in the salvation that is available through Jesus Christ. We deserved judgment, but in Christ we receive mercy from God and are delivered from judgment. In Christ we receive eternal salvation, forgiveness of sins, and abundant life (John 10:10)—all gifts of grace. Our response to the mercy and grace of God should be to fall on our knees in worship and thanksgiving. Hebrews 4:16 declares, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” And you're proud about your IQ. You need to ask yourself if you have have an emotional IQ or a social IQ as well and you need to ask yourself, are you in a right meaningful relationship with your Creator.
What can a person with a low social IQ of zero or a low emotional IQ of zero.. do to change?
They're unhappy. Real Christian take interest in other people and ask questions to see how they're really doing, how they're really feeling what they've been up to. (Unless they keep getting hurt by mean heartless people).
People with low EQ often struggle to understand and control their emotions. They might lash out and injure reactively without understanding what they are really feeling or why they are so upset. A person who lacks EQ might also have unexpected emotional outbursts that seem overblown and uncontrollable.
Emotionally immature people frequently use phrases designed to evade accountability, shift blame, and shut down productive conversations. These patterns of communication rely heavily on defensiveness, minimization, and sometimes gaslighting to avoid emotional vulnerability.
Emotional intelligence (EQ) is the ability to understand, use, and manage your emotions in positive ways to relieve stress, communicate effectively, and empathize with others.
Emotionally intelligent people apologize for their mistakes. And those with low E IQ don't.
Being emotionally intelligent means that you are able to recognize when you've hurt someone else and then offer up a sincere 4-step apology. And not only do you apologize, but you actually follow through with making effort to change your behavior.
Emotional intelligence (EQ) and social intelligence are not fixed traits; they are flexible skills that can be built over time. If you feel you lack these skills, you can dramatically improve your interactions by learning to recognize, analyze, and practice them systematically.
1. Treat Social Skills as a Data-Driven Subject
If you are highly analytical (as many people with high IQs but low EQs are), it helps to study social and emotional cues the same way you would learn a new subject.
Study Non-Verbal Cues: Read guides or watch videos on body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice.
Use Scripts and Frameworks: Have a mental list of open-ended questions (e.g., "What did you think about that?") and practice active listening techniques, such as reflecting back what someone has said before giving your opinion.
2. Practice Active Listening and Observation
People with low social intelligence often struggle with "reading the room" or dominating conversations. You can train this by taking a step back.
Stop Trying to Fix or Interrupt: When a friend or colleague is venting, they usually just want to be heard. You don't need to offer an analytical solution.
Observe Others: Watch how socially adept people behave in public settings. Note how long they make eye contact, when they smile, and how they include quieter people in a group.
3. Expand Your Emotional Vocabulary
Often, low EQ is tied to Alexithymia—the inability to identify and describe emotions. Most people default to basic feelings like "mad," "sad," or "happy."
Journaling: Take time daily to write down what you are feeling and explore exactly why you feel that way.
Dig Deeper: Instead of thinking, "I am mad at my coworker," try to isolate the specific emotion, such as feeling unappreciated, anxious, or overwhelmed. This allows you to communicate more effectively.
4. Seek Constructive Feedback
Because you may not naturally pick up on how your behavior affects others, ask for direct, actionable feedback from people you trust.
Ask Safe People: Let a close friend, family member, or trusted coworker know you are actively working on your social skills.
Be Specific: Ask questions like, "How do I come across in meetings?" or "What can I do differently next time we have a misunderstanding?"
5. Consider Professional Guidance
Social and emotional learning can be complex. Working with a specialized therapist or an emotional intelligence coach can provide a safe space to role-play scenarios, process emotional barriers, and break down unhelpful, long-term habits. You can use professional networks to find a credentialed therapist or counselor in your area.
It is not merely feeling sorry for someone. It is entering another person’s pain and, by God’s grace, taking practical steps to help. Mercy with a believer sees human suffering, they feel compassion, and are moved toward the hurting with grace and truth, with tenderness, and sacrificial actions even.
As Charles Spurgeon said:
“To be a Christian is to be like Christ.”
And Christ was the most merciful Person who ever walked this earth.
What Even Is Mercy?
At its simplest, mercy is God’s undeserved compassion shown to the miserable, guilty, and helpless.
Grace gives us blessings we do not deserve.
Mercy withholds the judgment we do deserve.
Grace says, “Here is the gift of eternal life.”
Mercy says, “You will not receive the punishment your sins deserve.”
Both meet gloriously at the cross of Jesus Christ.
As The Epistle to Titus declares:
“He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy.”
We contributed the sin.
Christ supplied the salvation.
We deserved wrath.
God lavished mercy.
God Is Rich in Mercy
The Bible does not merely say that God has mercy. It says He is “rich in mercy” (The Epistle to the Ephesians).
When God revealed His own character to Moses, mercy stood at the forefront:
“The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth.” — The Book of Exodus
Mercy is woven into the very fabric of God’s being. His mercy is:
- Great (Second Book of Samuel)
- Tender (The Gospel of Luke)
- Everlasting (Book of Psalms)
- New every morning (Book of Lamentations)
Every sunrise is proof that God has not given us what we deserve.
If justice alone had fallen upon us, we would already be in hell.
The fact that you are still breathing is mercy.
The fact that you can still repent is mercy.
The fact that Christ still invites sinners to come is mercy.
As A. W. Tozer wrote:
“Mercy is not something God has, but something God is.”
At the Cross People Saw.. Mercy in the Face of Our Sin
“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” — See Romans
“The wages of sin is death.” — The Epistle to the Romans
By nature, we are spiritually blind, morally bankrupt, and utterly unable to save ourselves.
We are like the two blind beggars sitting by the road outside Jericho.
Unable to see.
Unable to heal ourselves.
Unable to change our condition.
All we can do is cry:
“Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” — see Matthew
And when Christ hears that cry, He stops.
He calls.
He touches.
He saves.
He opens blind eyes.
And those who receive His mercy follow Him.
Mercy Is Compassion Set in Motion
In the Jericho account, the blind men did not ask Jesus for a feeling. They asked Him for intervention.
They wanted sight, and...
Mercy gave them exactly what they needed.
Mercy is never passive.
Mercy acts.
Mercy visits the hospital.
Mercy enters the prison.
Mercy cooks a meal.
Mercy pays the bill.
Mercy listens long.
Mercy forgives deeply.
Mercy shares the gospel urgently.
Mercy tells the truth in love.
Mercy weeps with those who weep and rejoices with those who rejoice (see all of Romans).
As Billy Graham said:
“God has given us two hands—one to receive with and the other to give with.”
Jesus Christ: Mercy Incarnate
Jesus Christ is the living embodiment of the Father's divine mercy.
He approached and touched lepers.
He fed the hungry.
He welcomed children.
He defended the broken.
He raised the dead.
He forgave sinners like me, and ultimately...
He bore our sins on the cross.
“Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.” — read all of Isaiah
At Calvary, mercy and truth met together.
Justice was satisfied.
Wrath was absorbed. It was substitutinary.. Jesus died in my place and yours.
Forgiveness was purchased.
Hope was secured.
“Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come; ’tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.” ~ John Newton
Mercy and Emotional Intelligence: A Biblical Perspective
The world speaks of emotional intelligence and social intelligence. Scripture speaks of wisdom, discernment, gentleness, self-control, and love.
Do you have a high IQ, good that may fill your head.
But only Christ can fill and soften your heart.
A brilliant mind without compassion can become cold, proud, and relationally destructive. Biblical maturity means:
- Being quick to hear (The Epistle of James)
- Slow to speak
- Slow to anger
- Ready to repent
- Quick to forgive
- Eager to bear burdens (The Epistle to the Galatians)
True emotional intelligence is the fruit of the Holy Spirit that is exhibited, not merely a psychological technique people talk about.
The fruit of the Spirit is LOVE.. and then those apects that define God's kind of holy love -- the joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
Do You Have A Spiritual Gift Called Mercy?
In The Epistle to the Romans, Paul says:
“He who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.”
Some believers are uniquely gifted to enter the pain of others and minister Christ’s comfort.
They are often:
- Tenderhearted
- Excellent listeners
- Burden-bearers
- Encouragers
- Compassionate servants
They sense suffering quickly and respond practically.
But even those with this gift must maintain Christ-centered boundaries.
Jesus loved deeply, yet He often withdrew to pray (The Gospel of Luke).
He carried our sins, but He never carried anxieties the Father had not assigned Him to bear.
We are called to bear one another’s burdens, but not to assume the role of Savior.
Only Christ can do that.
Mercy Oughta Stay Anchored in Truth
Biblical mercy never affirms sin.
It does not enable rebellion.
It does not confuse compassion with spiritual compromise.
Mercy walks beside the wounded while pointing them to the Great Physician.
Mercy does not simply say, “I understand your pain.”
Mercy says, “There is hope in Jesus Christ.”
"Biblical love is inseparable from truth.
Truth without love can wound.
Love without truth can mislead.
Mercy joins both." ~ John MacArthur
The Most Important Question
You may have a genius-level IQ.
You may understand complex systems and solve difficult problems.
But do you care about people?
Can you admit when you are wrong?
Do you sincerely ever apologize?
Do you ask others how they are truly doing?
Most importantly:
Are you in a right relationship with your Creator through Jesus Christ?
Without Christ, the smartest person on earth is still spiritually blind.
With Christ, even the weakest believer can become rich in mercy.
Come to the Throne of Grace
If you are burdened by guilt, shame, loneliness, or failure, cry out like the blind men of Jericho:
“Lord, have mercy on me.”
God delights to answer that prayer.
“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” — Read Hebrews
Choose compassion over indifference.
Choose truth over sentimentality.
Choose prayer over burnout.
Choose Christ over self-reliance.
Choose mercy over pride.
And remember:
You are not called to absorb the pain of the world.
You are called to abide in the One who already carried it -- be faithful and fruitful. God expects that of all Christians.
Cast your burdens upon Him, He really cares for you.
Receive His mercy again and again.
Walk in His Spirit day after day after day.
Then become, by His grace, a living channel of His merciful compassion to a wounded and watching world. You can get right with God the Father through Jesus right here and now!
“God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supply.” ~ Hudson Taylor
“The measure of a man is not how many servants he has, but how many men he serves.” ~ D.L. Moody
May we be men and women who care first, then share.
Who kneel often.
Who love deeply.
Who speak truth graciously.
Who show mercy cheerfully, and...
Who point every hurting soul to the only Savior who is truly “rich in mercy.” Amen.
