What is mercy? The words "mercy" and "merciful" come from a Greek word that literally means "to be compassionate" or "to show compassion. Mercy is compassion that goes into action.

We are merciful when we show compassion to those in need. Jesus is the greatest example of mercy. He healed the sick, made the lame walk, gave sight to the blind, made deaf ears hear, and gave life to the dead. He loved and forgave prostitutes, tax collectors, drunkards and adulteresses. He wept with the sorrowful and was a companion to the lonely. He took children in His arms and blessed them. He was the incarnation of mercy. Obviously, Jesus is the greatest example of someone who shows mercy. However, the scripture is clear that all Christians should exhibit mercy. In fact, Jesus made it clear that if we don’t show mercy, we will not receive mercy. Jesus said, "For if you forgive men for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions." (Matthew 6:14-15) James 2:13 reads, "For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment." When we show no mercy, we are the losers in terms of God's mercy.

The reason is that mercy comes from love, and love comes from God. Write down the word "love" and draw a circle around it. Now below that write "mercy," draw a circle around it and draw an arrow pointing from "love" to "mercy" because mercy always comes from love. Ephesians 2:4-5 says, "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ."

There can be no mercy apart from love. Now, under your circled "mercy" draw an arrow pointing to another circle. In that circle write "forgiveness." Just as love produces mercy, mercy produces forgiveness. God's forgiveness of our sins stems from His mercy.

Titus 3:5 says that Jesus saved us "not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy."

Finally, beside the circle of "mercy" draw another circle and write "justice." Mercy goes hand in hand with justice. Justice gives exactly what is due. Mercy gives less than is due. When you are stopped for speeding and given a warning ticket, that's not justice, it is mercy. It’s like the lady who had her picture taken at a photographer's. She brought it back and said, "It doesn't do me justice!" He said, "Lady, you don't need justice, you need mercy!"

God is both just and merciful. If He were only merciful, He could not be just. He punished our sin through Christ on the cross, thus satisfying his justice, and then extended his mercy to us. The Cross is the great symbol of mercy. A great hymn says, "Mercy there was great and grace was free; pardon there was multiplied to me; there my burdened soul found liberty, at Calvary!"

We should be merciful, because our God is merciful toward us. So, how can we develop a merciful spirit? How can we be, as the Scripture exhorts us, more tender-hearted, kind, and forgiving?

First, we need a new perspective of others. Sometimes we are too busy for people to be very important. It is exceedingly difficult to see people as individually important and valuable to God. It's easier to neatly categorize them by whatever stereotypes are convenient for us. Some are winners, others are losers. Some are ordinary, and some are extraordinary. But the truth is that God loves everyone.

Have you ever walked around, say, at Wal-Mart and just looked at people? I'm sure you have. You see them all - a conglomeration of races and ethnic cultures, a motley crew of well-dressed and poorly dressed, clean and grungy, old and young, loud and quiet. Do you realize that each one of these people has a life, goals, dreams, a family. Each one is a special person to God. Each one is as important as I am or you are. We need to pray, "God, let me see them through your eyes." Seeing as God sees can be a giant step toward a merciful, tender-hearted, and forgiving attitude.

Second, we need a new sensitivity toward others. Seeing with God's eyes is an important step in the right direction toward finding mercy. We must have the right perspective. Another equally important step is to learn how to feel as others feel - to develop real sensitivity. If we are to be merciful, forgiving people, we must learn how to empathize with others. We must climb into their situation and learn to feel as they feel.

Now, all of us cannot experience everything life deals out. But we can make an honest attempt to consider what it would be like if we were in that situation. How do you suppose it feels to be handicapped, unable to walk or stand, unable to drive or take care of yourself? How do you suppose it feels to be unemployed, with bills you cannot pay, and children you cannot feed? How do you suppose it feels to be a minority, living in a community where you are different? How does it feel to be an ethnic person, in a society in which you find it difficult to communicate in the native language? How would it feel to be divorced, struggling through the pain of having the one you love reject you? How would it feel to be widowed, or to lose a child, or a parent? How do you suppose it would feel to have cancer, or Alzheimer's disease, or AIDS? On a more common scale, how do you think it would feel to be really depressed, and full of despair, and not even know why?

The point is that we need to climb into someone else's situation, at least mentally, and walk a mile or two in their shoes. Once we do, we might find it easier to show some tender-hearted love and genuine forgiveness - in a word, mercy.