Hosanna Restoration Church

The first thing I ever knew about mercy was a game we played when I was growing up. We would lock hands and see who could put the other one down or make them give in. The one who could no longer stand the pain would say, “mercy” or “uncle”. I never did understand exactly where uncle fit in. And whenever I got in trouble I wanted it to go away, or in other words I wanted to get by with whatever I did. I guess that was a form of mercy too. But I never truly understood mercy until I came to know Jesus.

It took a lot of mercy on His part to pardon all the baggage I carried! Actually it did not take near as much effort on His part as it took faith on my part to believe that He would just wipe my slate clean. Twenty years later, my eyes tear up when I think of the mercy He extended to me. I think that goes with the scripture that says those who are forgiven much tend to love much also. Mercy is a special type of love.

When we read the story of the Good Samaritan we find that the real neighbor was the one who showed him mercy. I think the problem with the priest and the temple assistant was that they either forgot what it was like to receive mercy, or they never felt that they needed it in the first place.

It truly is a sad thing when a person considers himself so important that he will not stoop to help someone. The Priest would not even stay on the same side of the road. Maybe he thought he was dead that it would defile him to get near him. No matter what his reason, there was obviously an absence of compassion in this man.

The temple assistant did a little better. He went and took a look at the man, but then he headed across the road too. No doubt both the priest and the temple assistant said a little prayer! After all, that would be the religious thing to do. The probably could never imagine themselves being in such a state of need.

Thank God for the Samaritan. In the Living Translation they point out that he was a despised Samaritan. It may be the very fact that he was so despised that caused him to be merciful. He knew what it was like to be passed by. He knew what it was like to need a friend. And so this despised Samaritan did what the Lord would like us all to do. He helped the man. He did not just clean him up, but he also got him to a place where he could be nursed to health. He even took care of the provisions to see that he got the care he needed.

Jesus did the same thing for us. When we were dead in our sins, He did not pass us by. He stopped often to help us. And when we were willing, he picked us up and cleaned us up and provided for everything we would ever need. And now He says to all of us. Go and do the same.