7-23-2020

Good Morning All, 

    Matthew 12:7; “And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless.”

     The mother was downstairs in the basement washing clothes.  Then she got the worried parent thought.  “It is quiet upstairs, too quiet.”  She went upstairs and found her two little girls, ages 5 and 3, making cookies for her.  Flour was everywhere, a couple of eggs were dripping off the counter.  The oldest was disappointed to see mom.  “You were supposed to wait until we were done.”

    The two boys were 6 and 4.  They watched their father as he could fix anything.  They watched as he could take apart a small engine and then put it back together and have it run.  One day they found dad’s toolbox and began to “fix” most of the things in the garage.  When dad came in, the boys looked up at him with a big grin, grease from one ear to the other and a handful of parts strewn around.  They told him they were almost done “fixin” stuff and would help him in a minute. 

    These may not be your stories, but you have some similar.  Someone thought they were helping, but well they did not.  There are two ways to respond.  First, you can blow a gasket and yell and scream.  You can punish them and leave them knowing that they WILL NOT do that again.  Or you can smile and gently help them clean up and put things back and explain how they need to be a little older.  Even as adults, we sometimes see someone try to “help” only to make it worse.

    In our verse, Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees who only see the enforcement of the law as the only answer.  They seek only “justice” which to them is you being punished for any and everything.  We see people like that every day.  They have their “rules”, and no one had better cross those rules, even if it was done in a fashion that was intended to help or to show love.  Even if the action was designed to be kind; it can go terribly wrong.

    Jesus encourages us to see that love is truly the best response.  Desire mercy not sacrifice.  Mercy means forgiveness and patience.  Justice may correct the wrong; but forgiveness heals the broken heart.  Healing is what we should be about doing.  The brokenness of this world provides all the pain and divisiveness that is more than needed.  God calls us to heal.  God calls us to show mercy.  This does not mean we are an “anything goes”; we are to correct but we are to correct with love not law.  God calls us to have mercy, especially to those who are hurting or lost or suffering.  Desire mercy and share God’s love with all.

Father of all mercy, give us the ability to give mercy to those whom we meet.  Father, there are many who are hurting and in need of mercy.  Show them to us and give us the wisdom to temper our justice with your mercy.  Let us serve you with all our heart and life.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret