One of my
favorite songs she sings is “Mercy Now.”
She sings about her father and the unfairness he has experienced. She sings about her brother and his
demons. In every verse she ponders the
struggles of people, and society in general, as we try to make a way through
this world. And she concludes that “we
all could use some mercy now.”
I stumbled
across a local TV broadcast of a nearby preaching service yesterday. I stayed tuned just long enough to hear the
preacher rant and rave against everything and everybody he didn’t agree with
and consign them all to hell before I changed the channel. It took him less than 2 minutes to condemn
the world around him.
I felt the need to apologize to all
the non-Christians in the world for this particular preacher’s un-Christ-like
demeanor. I don’t doubt that there is
judgment coming. In some form or
fashion, I believe God will set right what is wrong, and perhaps there is some
pain and even punishment to come. But
what disturbed me most about this particular preacher was that he didn’t seem
the least bit heartbroken about that possibility. Perhaps he has forgotten what the scripture
says, that God takes “no delight in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 18:23;
33:11).”
As I understand Jesus and his
crucifixion, his death is to be understood as a mercy for sinners. “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us
(Romans 5:8).” And as Jesus says
further, “Be ye merciful, as your Father in heaven is merciful (Luke 6:36).” So, if God is merciful, understands our need for mercy,
and is willing to offer it in such a costly way, it seems as if God’s
messengers (and preachers) should also bathe their words in the waters of mercy
as well.
As Mother Teresa has reportedly
said, “Be kind, most people are having a hard time.”
We all could use a little mercy
now.
God’s
Peace,
Mark
