Mercy: Our Best Move Today

Maybe I’m dating myself, but do you remember vinyl records? When scratched, they’d skip and replay the same lyric over and over. That’s me when it comes to mercy—I might sound like a broken record, but it’s a message worth repeating.

Last Sunday at church, we sang the old hymn again:
“Mercy there was great and grace was free…”
And mercy has been echoing in my soul ever since.
God’s mercy is endless — and not just for me, but for me to give.

And let’s be honest… sometimes I need extra help in that department. I let people’s quirks get under my skin (can I get an amen?). But then, James 3:17 drops like a divine reminder: “Wisdom from above is… full of mercy.”

Ouch! Message received, Lord.
Mercy is multi-layered — it’s not just giving someone a second chance. It’s going the extra mile for those who are hurting. It’s building bridges where we’d rather build fences. It’s choosing kindness when revenge would feel better — but isn’t.

And yes, mercy is also loving the cranky neighbor, forgiving the friend who let you down, and smiling at the checker who’s clearly having one of those days.

Romans 12:8 says, “If you show mercy, do it cheerfully.”

In other words, no eye rolls. Mercy with joy, not obligation.
And Jesus? He modeled it best. He didn’t avoid the messy. He went straight to it — hanging out with outcasts, touching lepers, loving the unlovely. When asked why, He said:
“I want you to show mercy, not just go through the motions.” (Matthew 9:13)

We’re all going to need mercy between now and heaven. And here’s the kicker — we can’t receive what we’re unwilling to give.
So, Lord, help us dish out mercy like You do: freely, abundantly, and with joy.

And when we mess it up (because we will), remind us — You’ve got more mercy waiting.