The Importance of Mercy
The merciful man does good for his own soul, but he who is cruel troubles his own flesh.
Mercy is a character trait that God expects of His servants. This scripture shows us that mercy is the opposite of being cruel.
The biblical word mercy has a deep meaning that includes kindness and goodness. Christians are not to be cruel—harsh, uncaring and cold—but are to be defined by warmth and kindness in how they treat others. Mercy is one of the essential characteristics of Christianity according to the teachings of Jesus Christ (Matthew 5:7).
Though mercy isn’t limited to showing forgiveness and pardoning others for wrongs they have committed, this is one of the main ways we show mercy. Showing deep kindness and warmth to other people should help us to quickly forgive others when they do wrong to us (Matthew 6:14-15).
To learn more about the other core characteristics of genuine Christianity, read our series of articles on “The Fruit of the Spirit.”
Tomorrow on the Daily Bible Verse Blog: "Would God Destroy the Righteous Also?"
