Matthew 5:7 NIV: “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”

When I showed my son this art piece this morning and told him the verse, he asked, “What is mercy?” That is the essential question to understand this verse. The Greek word used twice here is elee’o, and the definition is to be kind, gracious, compassionate, or merciful towards the afflicted or miserable with the desire to relieve them”. Do you notice this has several components? It is not just being kind but being kind in a specific situation where someone is suffering, guilty, or in pain. The motive of the mercy giver is crucial, hoping to ease the guilt or alleviate the misery.

Like all the beatitudes, the promise is God’s response to our actions of mercy. In this case, it is the gift of mercy from God to us individually. I wanted to imagine a scenario of giving mercy that I could relate to, a compassionate offering to someone afflicted or in pain due to wrongdoing. As a parent, I have been provided umpteen opportunities to show compassion, and I have not always chosen the merciful approach. So often, the idea of justice whispers, “But he deserves punishment, or he should hurt as much as I do.” Mercy, however, doesn’t desire pain or punishment but healing.

When we show mercy, God shows us mercy. He takes our guilt, shame, and death sentence that we deserve and sets us free to live a life of wholeness and love.