Mercy and Kindness

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We may all have a general idea of what these words mean, kindness and mercy, but let’s go a little deeper.  I have recently had my life tremendously enriched by an increased depth in understanding of what these words mean.

Mercy

The first definition of mercy I remember is “withheld merited judgment,” which brings a rather dry understanding of the word.  As regards God, this definition of mercy seems to intimate that God would really like to judge and punish us, but is holding Himself back with gritted teeth!  Though the withholding of judgment is an important aspect of mercy, it is not the whole picture.  Let’s take a closer look at this bare bones definition, and then let’s take the time to round out our understanding and make it more complete and accurate.

Merited:  You deserve it.  You did it.  You’re “guilty.”  No question of blame … it’s you!
Judgment:  Comes from the root word “to divide’ (Greek – krino).  It makes the distinction, draws a line, putting someone or something on one side of that line or the other.  Often includes the idea of deserving of punishment or consequence.
Withheld:  Held back, not initiated or performed or accomplished.

Putting the above 3 words together, mercy comes into play when, though an incident to which is attached blame or guilt  occurs, the action of punishment is not only withheld, but even the placing of that incident on the side of guilt or blame is not carried out.

“Have mercy” in today’s vernacular means, “I’m guilty but don’t punish me,”  but mercy actually means, “I’m guilty but don’t find me guilty and assess blame; rather, help me.”  Rather than simply not finding us guilty of sin, God exerts His efforts toward us by helping to deliver us from sin’s disastrous effects.  And not only that, but He desires to imbue us with His insight, wisdom and spiritual strength, so that we need no longer fall under it’s powerful influence.  That is the more complete understanding of mercy.  Mercy doesn’t just remove us from guilt or punishment, it also moves us (or at least desires to move us) far away from the consequences of our sin, while infusing us with a new inner ability which will negate our need to repeat the same erroneous thinking and behavior.

The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy…  He has not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.  For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear Him.  As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.  Psalms 103:8, 10-12

The truth of this section in Psalms is fulfilled today in Christ.  God has never desired judgment and punishment for His creation.  Rather, He has desired mercy and kindness.  The word “mercy” is first used in the New Testament in Matthew.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.  Matthew 5:7

This verse seems to suggest that people won’t obtain mercy until first they show mercy.  But how can they be merciful until they have first obtained mercy?  The answer lies in the progression of the blessings Jesus speaks of in the Sermon on the Mount.

The Progression of the Beatitudes:
Blessed are the poor in spirit…  First comes “poor in spirit,” which means humble.  First we lower ourselves in the presence of One who is greater.  We can receive nothing from God unless and until we lower ourselves from our own thrones.
Blessed are they who mourn… Next comes an experience of trouble of the soul while off our own throne, which causes us to reach out for help and instruction from One who is greater.
Blessed are the meek… Next comes the willingness and ability to receive instruction and learning from He who is greater.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness… Next the almost insatiable desire to be filled to capacity with the perfect balance and understanding which that instruction brings.
Blessed are the merciful… Therein lies the ability to give to others what we ourselves have received, which is to reach out and help where there ought to have been a judgment of guilt.
Blessed are the pure in heart… This ability to offer to others what has been received from God accounts for a purity of heart in the knowing of God (we become like Him),
Blessed are the peacemakers… becoming like Him is accompanied by the oneness which comes with being born of God.  We bring peace because we are at peace.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake… The culmination of becoming like Him lies in the sacrificial service of self on behalf of Christ which brings with it challenges (persecution by the world) and rewards (fruit of the spirit in closer relationship with the Father) only understandable to those who partake of it.

And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why does your Master eat with publicans and sinners?  But when Jesus heard, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.  But go and learn what that means, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice; for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Matthew 9:11-13

When seeing his son behave self destructively, the Godly father desires to help his son be delivered from such and to get to the point of constructive thinking and behavior, not to simply  punish him.  God is the perfect father.  He doesn’t want His children to pay penalties for their transgressions and misbehavior, so much as He wants them to be in the right place in their minds and hearts to be able to live gloriously fruitful lives.

Herein is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit.…  John 15:8

Mercy helps deliver the guilty party into that glorious fruitfulness.  Instead of judgment and punishment, mercy is intent on removing any obstacle and providing that which is lacking.  So parents, when your children act out, you can be concerned that they grow into more balanced, joyful human beings, or you can be intent on making sure they know how wrong they are by your punishment of them.  Oh how I wish I’d been aware of this when my children were young!  Mercy is practical, and rather than judge and punish, is more concerned with helping provide for success.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your logical religious service.  And be not conformed to this world; but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.  Romans 12:1, 2

God’s  mercy toward mankind has been perfectly manifested in, and is perfectly represented by the gift of the life of His son, Christ Jesus.

But God, Who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, has made us alive together with Christ (by grace you are saved); And has raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus; That in the ages to come He might display the exceeding riches of His grace in kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.  Ephesians 2:4-7

Kindness

What is your picture of kindness?  Tender, thoughtful, caring, gentle.  Yes, these are aspects of kindness, but the word translated “kind” in the New Testament, in its verb form, is translated “use.”  We have come to view kindness as a tender feeling, but at its root, kindness means to be intent on usefulness, helpfulness, practicality.  The root of the Greek word for kindness is chreestos.

Come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and humble in heart; and you shall find rest unto your souls, For my yoke is easy (chreestos – helpful, practically useful) and (thus) my burden is light.  Matthew 11:28-30

This yoke which will provide rest for our souls and make our burdens light is described first and foremost as being helpful to us.

No man also having drunk old wine immediately desires new; for he says, The old is better (chreestos).  Luke 5:39

I know what age does to wine; it mellows it, makes it smoother, more enjoyable.  Might we define kindness then as being “enjoyably helpful?”

Or do you despise the riches of His goodness (chreestos) and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness (chreestos) of God leads you to repentance?  (Romans 2:4)

“Repentance” indicates a changing of the mind, of ones point of view.  It literally means “to think after.”  Repentance occurs as we view the past, looking for lessons for the future.   God, because of His mercy, helps bring us out of the error of our way by providing a better, more useful way of doing things, of thinking, of looking at things.  God’s instruction is intended to be enjoyably helpful, and it is that enjoyable helpfulness, or usefulness which leads us to change our way of thinking.

Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow thereby; If so be you have tasted that the Lord is gracious (chreestos).  I Peter 2:1-3

What helps us put off, or lay aside like an old piece of clothing, the old ways which we have identified with throughout our whole lives, is the enjoyable introduction of new, more helpful ways which lead to more productive results.  We seek God, not because He is good, but because He is good to us!

But without faith it is impossible to please Him; for he that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.  Hebrews 11:6

It is with mercy and kindness God deals with us, in the innermost part of our beings.  In order to have His work perfected in our lives, let us learn to allow our heavenly Father to treat us with His merciful kindness, at the same time learning to treat others in the same manner – being enjoyably helpful –  as they come out of their ineffective, destructive ways and into the gloriously fruitful ways of God.

And be ye kind (chreestos – enjoyably helpful) one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another even as God for the sake of Christ has forgiven you.  Ephesians 4:32

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Related Studies

If you enjoyed how this study challenged your thinking and opened up your understanding of Christ, click on one of the related studies below:

The Yoke of Humility and Meekness
Justified, what it means

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