Compassion

 You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.

LUKE 6:36 (NLT)

Compassion isn't an optional extra in the Christian life. It's essential. If we expect God to be compassionate to us, we should be compassionate to others.

Elsewhere, Jesus goes as far as to say that if we want God to be merciful to us, we need to be merciful to others. Our mercy doesn't earn God's mercy. It's just the evidence that we have received mercy.

'Blessed are the merciful', says Jesus, 'for they will be shown mercy'. It's a great promise, but it carries with it the hint of a warning. By implication, cursed are the unmerciful, for they won't be shown mercy.

We tend to think of reaping what we sow, and grace and mercy, as being incompatible. Yet if we sow compassion, we will reap compassion. If we forgive others when they wrong us, God will forgive us. 

'Dear LORD, we admit that we can't earn Your salvation, but we ask for Your mercy, for we come in Jesus' name and trusting in His death on our behalf, amen'.

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