Mercy

Mercy
James the half brother of Jesus said,
"Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom,  
because judgement without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgement!" James 2:12,13.
Sadly many within the church, especially the evangelical church forget this portion of scripture. They instead judge showing little mercy to those around them especially toward those of different faiths and lifestyles.
Harper Lee in her book To Kill a Mockingbird said,
"Sometimes the Bible in the hand of one man is worse than a whisky bottle in the hand of another...” Harper Lee.
She was right. Many people have been turned away from the church by those claiming to be followers of Christians.
If you claim to be a follower of Christ Jesus. A Christian. Are you or the church congregation you attend responsible for turning people away from Christ?
Would the congregation you attend look down on a gay couple holding hands as they enter church? Would they even be welcome?
Would you or members of your congregation be willing to sit down and talk about your faith with those of a different faith?
Would you and your congregation be willing to listen to those of a different faith tell you about their faith?
I strongly feel that in order to win people for Christ we must be willing to open a dialogue between ourselves and others.
No one irrespective of their beliefs or lifestyle should ever be turned away from our churches.
No one irrespective of their beliefs or lifestyle should ever be denied service by any Christian owned business?
The way I see it no one should ever be denied being shown the Love of God in Christ Jesus. And the only way a non-believer can be shown the love of Christ is if we interact with them as equals.
Failure by anyone calling themselves Christians to show the love of Christ to anyone is to question if they are truly Christians.
Please think about it.

Mercy

Mercy
“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom,  
because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!” James 2:12,13.
As a Christian do you show mercy to people around you, especially those you disagree with?
Some time ago I heard of a story in the United States of a family business who wanted the right not to serve members of the LGBTQ community. They said it was against their religious beliefs as Christians.
I cannot see anywhere in the scriptures that tells Christians they must not serve those they disagree with. In fact Jesus sat down and had dialogue with everyone. He sat and talked to a Samaritan woman, someone Jews of the day discriminated against. He sat with tax collectors someone considered sinners by the religious leadership of the day.
Matthews gospel records,
“While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” came and ate with him and his disciples.  
When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” 
On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  
But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:10-13.
The way I see it as a Christian you must be willing to associate with all people. You must show love and respect for all people even those you disagree with. You must be willing to associate with all people.
While in Athens Paul associated with philosophers and others his faith would have called sinners, without judging them. As a result he was asked to speak before the leaned men about his faith.
James reminds Christians to,
“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom,  
because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!” James 2:12,13 
Paul tells us something we should all take to hart,
“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.  
But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.”1Timothy 1:15,16.
We as Christians must remember we too are sinners redeemed by the blood of Christ. As such we must work all the harder to show those who have not been redeemed by the blood of Christ the way to heaven.
We cannot do this by refusing to serve them in our businesses or refusing to associate with them. We must follow the example of Christ who associated with all people.
Please think about it.

Mercy

Mercy
“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom,  
because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!” 
                              James 2:12,13.
Do you show mercy to those around you?
Francis of Assisi wrote,
“The deeds you do may be the only sermon some persons will hear today” 
                                                                                                            Francis of Assisi.
All the time in the media here in North America I hear preachers and evangelist screaming about the sins of the world. They say they are coming against the sin but loving the sinner.
The sinner however doesn’t see it like that. When they see someone attacking the sin their life, especially if it’s a sin they like, they see the attack on the sin as a personal attack on them.
You cannot win anyone to Christ by criticizing their life and lifestyle.
We need to be showing love. The apostle Paul tell us,

“Love is patient, love is kind. 

It does not envy, it does not boast, 

it is not proud.  

It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, 

it is not easily angered, 

it keeps no record of wrongs. 

Love does not delight in evil

 but rejoices with the truth.  

It always protects, always trusts, 

always hopes, always perseveres. 

Love never fails....” 

                                                                              1 Corinthians 13:4-8a.
All too many people have been pushed away for God by well meaning people who keep pointing out the sin in a persons life.
We need to remember the word of Francis of Assisi who said,

“Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love,

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

And where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek

to be consoled as to console,

to be understood as to understand,

to be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive,

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.” 

                                                                                                      Francis of Assisi
The writer of Proverbs states,
“Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. 
Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.” 
                                                                                                              Proverbs 3:3,4.
It is only in showing Love to people that we will win them to the Lord. Jesus made it clear saying,
Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  
For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” 
                       Matthew 7:1,2.
Jesus made things very clear when he said,
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets”
        Matthew 7:12.
As Christians before we speak we need to ask ourselves “are the words I am about to say to someone something I’d like to hear? Are my actions towards people truly nonjudgmental and truly showing love?”
Please think about it.