Merciful

       Feed the pigeons, the squirrels, the ducks, the chipmunks, the swans and other birds, the stray cats and dogs and even the animals at the zoo which the signs say not to; just don’t feed the homeless!!!

       Today I learned some cities have been banning the feeding of the homeless for years now.  There are many varied reasons why this becomes law in some cities, but it really comes down to what is left unsaid.  No one wants the homeless seen in certain parts of their cities.  So the cities justify their ban by saying it’s safer for the homeless to eat where they are protected by shelters, or where the food’s been checked, or by those approved to feed them.



       Perhaps the officials who pass a law such as this are concerned that their children might see a homeless man in a park and then ask them about him: that would make them uncomfortable knowing they’d done nothing about these obviously hurting people, and they might be unable to answer their kid’s questions without looking bad.  Like one blogger said, “sweep that homeless problem under the rug - feed that hungry child in the back alley so no one sees.”  Let’s cover up the problem, stick a band aid on it: so what if it festers an infection!

       In Mat. 5:7 Jesus says, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”  NASB  Just what does it mean to be merciful?  Try looking it up and it’s a bit confusing.  I found it more helpful to look up the synonyms:  compassionate, sympathetic, loving, tender hearted, full of pity, lenient, kindhearted, patient, and humane.  Sympathetic with a desire to alleviate it.  We are supposed to be merciful.  Jesus was merciful not just to mankind as a whole, but specifically to the people he met in His human life.  (Imagine, today in some cities He would be arrested for feeding the hungry!)

       I think society as a whole has forgotten what it means to be merciful, and that deficiency has crept into the church as well.  Quick judgments based on looks and gossip, complaining about others, hidden slams covered up by spoken prayers and telling faults of others are some of the behaviours I’ve seen in the body.  Where do they fit in with being merciful?  Is your heart full of love for every person in the body?  Out of the heart the mouth speaks* so if your mouth speaks unmercifully…

       Remember: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”  So, be merciful, be compassionate, be sympathetic, be loving, be tender hearted, be full of pity, be lenient, be kindhearted, be patient, be humane… be like Jesus.  If not, you will be considered merciless …

And merciless means… cruel.

*Luke 6:45- A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.  NIV

Take a Chance

       Joanne, an older lady from Jersey, walked out on the stage of the new show “the Voice” hoping to live a dream and become the new voice of America.  Her family waited in the back room watching a TV screen eager for her to succeed.  Less than five minutes later with no judges wanting to work with her, she left the stage with her dream unfulfilled.  Was it an epic failure?

       Sometimes when we take a chance it doesn’t end as good as we want it to, but that doesn’t make it a complete failure.  For Joanne, her children learned that their Mom is strong, bold, and it’s never too late to try living your dream; that’s a success of a different kind.  Watching her, I remembered that I am not a risk taker because I don’t think I would have even tried.  Then again, I don’t really like being in the limelight and my voice is far from being considered talented.

       A few years ago I realized that my penchant for staying ‘safe’ was holding me back from being the person God had made me to be, and I decided to take one step after another to change that.  This blog is a part of that change- allowing others to see inside of me and know what I’m thinking at times is especially risky for a private person like me.  At the same time it’s exciting to think that I could help someone think about God more or have a better relationship with Him.  Little by little, I am improving, but I still have a long way to go.

       But God, in His mercy and grace never gives up on me.  Though I have failed Him time and time again, He has never failed me; even in those times I was sure He had.  (Eventually, I always realized He knew best.)  A real struggle for me lately is remembering that genuine love tells the truth even though it can hurt because I really hate to hurt others.  This has kept me from speaking God’s words in situations He wanted me to speak up; but since He isn’t giving up on me, I’m going to trust Him to keep changing me*.  And I’ll let His strength show up in my weakness.**  He always does a better job then I do anyway especially when I try to do it on my own.

       Thanks Lord, for never giving up on me no matter how many times I’ve failed to do or say the things I should.  Thank You for Your mercy and grace in my life.  Please help me to be bolder for You and to walk out there with You more often and take a chance.

*Phil. 1:6- being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;  NKJV

**2 Cor. 12:10- That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.  NIV

I am with you…

       After twenty long years of marriage, Tony held her hand and whispered in her ear, “Beth, I am with you,” then he watched her get rolled off to the operating room where the cancer would be removed.  He’d never been so worried but he was determined to be strong for her… and he’d be with her every step of the way; they’d go through this storm together.

       Alicia stood in the warm water with her arms outstretched to her son standing at the edge of the pool.  “Jump Jeremy, jump!  You can do it!  I am here with you!  I’ll catch you!” she assures.  Her son is scared and the water looks deep, but Alicia knows that if Jeremy will just trust her, it will all be okay and some of his anxiety will be assuaged.

       Henry gently places his daughter’s arm around his, noting her nervousness on this important day of her life.  “I’m so proud of you, I love you,” He says.  “Dad, what if I trip?” she asks.  “Don’t worry Samantha, I’m with you, I won’t let you fall.”  He thinks about how his adorable baby girl has grown into this remarkable woman so strong and beautiful standing beside him.  “This is it; let’s go,” Henry says fighting the tears forming in his eyes as they start walking down the isle.

       Four very powerful words can help bring us through the storms of life, lessen our anxieties and fears, and encourage us to march forward on our path.  I am with you.  Those four words coming from a person of integrity and in whom you can trust will bring great comfort in knowing there is someone on your side no matter what happens in your life. 

       Jesus, upon resurrecting from the grave met with His disciples to commission them to go make disciples of all nations and teach them His ways.  Then He speaks the words that will assist them on their new journey:  Matt. 28:20- …And, behold, I am with you all the days until the completion of the age. TIB  In other words: I am with you through the good days, I am with you through the bad days, I am with you in your struggles and your joys.  I am with you always until the end of this age.

Hear theses words from the Lord and let them settle in your heart,

                       I am with you