Hosanna Restoration Church

If we ever wonder if we are receiving wisdom from God or not, this scripture would seem to be a good one to use to test it. Everything that God says is pure. In other words, it is not polluted and it is not confusing and it never contradicts anything else He says. We can try to complicate or manipulate it if we want, but in the end His word will stand unchanged and unchangeable.

His wisdom is also geared toward peace. In other words, it will produce peace, even if at times it creates turmoil to start with. For instance, when the truth first begins to work at our lives it is uncomfortable and creates anything but peace as conviction comes with the revelation of the truth. Still, if we accept the truth we find peace. Likewise, His wisdom is always gentle. Even if we feel like we’ve been punched in the guts at times it is a gentle punch. It is always delivered with love and compassion. His wisdom will also put others first. It is more important that others be helped than that we be right.

To me, all of this is a great description of being merciful. His word is always merciful and full of good deeds. Because He is merciful, we should be merciful also. This requires that we use pure truth as a pattern for our lives and our interaction with others. We would not want to give polluted things. The thought came to me as I meditated on being full of mercy that I should extend the mercy I would like to receive. This would be like the golden rule of doing to and for others, as we would like them to do to and for us.

I considered how much it would help if I were to respond to someone the way I would like them to talk to me. No matter how they may have spoken my response could be full of mercy if that were my desire. After all, a soft answer turns away wrath. I am sorry to say that this is not always the way I handle things, but I hope and trust that things are about to make a wonderful change.

Yes, we all want others to be merciful with us and we all want good things done for us. Well, we will reap what we sow because God set in place the law of sowing and reaping. Verse 18 tells us that those who plant seeds of peace will reap harvests of goodness. I believe that mercy creates peace and I truly want a good harvest, don’t you?

Godly wisdom, combined with the knowledge of God and His mercy will enable us to extend mercy at all times, even though in truth we sometimes do not care to be merciful. If we expect mercy we are going to need to show mercy. So we may as well get busy and allow the Holy Spirit to transform us in this area. Remember, it is easy to be merciful with those who treat us good, but God wants us to be merciful to everyone and especially those who we feel have wronged us.