“Mercy—Our Companion During Christmas”

As we approach the final moments before Christmas, let’s focus on the approach that can carry us through this great season and beyond with joy. May our attitude to others (family, friends, acquaintances) be the same as God’s attitude toward us. Namely, that we show mercy and forgiveness toward others… especially those that might even annoy us. Hmmmmmm.

I’m amazed that God didn’t just “wash his hands” of us after all the times we have thrown his love back in his face. Yet, he continues to show us kindness. Wow, the mercy of Christmas.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:16-17) Let’s not be too familiar with this truth. 

With Christmas in mind, how can we not love those who act unlovable toward us ? How can we be  not be kind to those who may have acted rude toward us, or even hurt us…. in small or in big ways? Often it’s those closest to us that may challenge us the most…. a parent, a sibling, a son or daughter, maybe a  close friend…. perhaps someone that we have helped in the past. Woe Dave, you’re starting to get a little too close to home….. maybe I can forgive someone that took my parking place, but those who have really hurt me? Hmmmmm. 

Well the truth is that God doesn’t give us an option. The  Lord’s Prayer that Jesus taught us takes away any option….”forgive us our trespasses AS we forgive those who trespass against us”. If we don’t forgive, we are stuck in our sin. Yikes !!!  If Our Father in heaven forgives us after we tortured and murdered his son, what argument can we present to not forgive those who have hurt us?

We certainly need the grace of God to forgive others. But how does that grace reveal itself; how does it express itself. Grace comes in many different forms, in different packages. One way it comes is thru experiencing empathy for the offender, coming to understand the sorrow that the offender has experienced in his life… looking to “walk a mile in the offender’s shoes”. 

You may remember the story of the man on the subway with his unruly kids. When admonished by another rider, he responded, “ I’m sorry for the way they’re acting, but we just left the hospital where they said goodbye to their mother for the last time…she’s dying of cancer”.  I sometimes think of that story when someone cuts me off in traffic or is rude to me at a store or even a family member who’s unwilling to help out at the Christmas celebration ….. what’s going on in their life…. how are they suffering? 

I recently read that “while crime victims do not always become offenders, most offenders have been victims….. and some may go on to commit their own crimes.” While we can’t use the “victim” excuse to erase all of our bad behavior, it should help us to be quicker to forgive others who have hurt us. I know of one situation where it’s been difficult for a son to forgive his father, yet I know this father as someone who has overcome many challenges in his life, including abuse, and been exemplary in different ways; how well would we do if we had been faced with those same obstacles. It doesn’t make the bad behavior right, it just makes it a bit more understandable and hopefully a bit easier to forgive. 

So, let’s enter into this Christmas season with MERCY as our companion, ready to overlook and forgive, ready to “seek to first understand rather than to be understood”. It’s not easy, but God calls us to love one another and be merciful as our heavenly father is merciful. “But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” (Luke 6:35-36)

So let’s get ready to have a wonderful Christmas and be ambassadors of God’s mercy….. like our heavenly father who is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish. Remember “blessed are the merciful for they will receive mercy”. (Mt. 5:7) And that should put a big smile on our face and bring us deep joy.