“He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” –Titus 3:5
Recently, I was in a discussion about how I have changed since my early twenties. The person in the conversation, who is the same age as I am, agreed that we had both changed quite a lot. We were both grateful for the changes in our lives. We talked about how our faith had helped us to grow into much better (not perfect) people.
The truth is I made a lot of mistakes in my early life, and I still make several today. I am extremely grateful for the fact that God has shown great mercy to me. Mercy is the choice God makes when compassion is offered instead of harsh consequences.
God’s mercy is a gift for our life and an example of how we are to live. Throughout the scriptures God tells us to follow his example and be merciful ourselves. In the book of Luke, it is written clearly, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” (Luke 6:36)
I believe our world needs to embrace mercy, all the more. Modern politics and hot topics on social media bring out most severe reactions from many of us.
I believe the best way for us to overcome this new normal in our world is to remember the mercy that has been shown to us. Take a few moments today and recall a time when you were shown mercy. Where would you have been if mercy was not offered? Give thanks today for mercy and when the opportunity arises, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
Rev. Keith King, Online Campus Pastor
