Matthew 5:7 "Blessed are the merciful! For they shall obtain mercy."

There are two parts of mercy. There is the part that sees a need and helps out with that need. Here are a few texts which talk about showing that kind of mercy and the blessing received by the person who shows the mercy;

Act 20:35 I have shown you all things, that working in this way we ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Psalm 41:1 Blessed is he who acts wisely toward the poor; Jehovah will deliver him in time of trouble.

Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given to you, good measure pressed down and shaken together and running over, they shall give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you measure, it shall be measured to you again.

Showing mercy is more than giving money to our church or sending money to some country in need.

Giving to our church and helping out another country is the right thing to do. I'm not trying to discourage anyone from doing those things. But showing mercy is also helping our fellow church members, our neighbors, and our families. It is helping the people in our own community. Showing mercy and helping others is a way of life. It is something that a person is willing to do every day.

The second part of mercy is forgiveness. People make mistakes. We all do. It is showing compassion and mercy to forgive those mistakes and forget them, rather than to get angry and hold a grudge against them. Part of being a true Christian is to freely forgive, without any strings attached. Anytime we attach conditions to our forgiveness, we are not truly forgiving a person. Look at the following texts;

James 5:9 Do not grudge against one another, brothers, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge stands before the door.

Ephesians 4:32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you.

Colossians 3:12&13 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender feelings of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering, forbearing one another and forgiving yourselves, if anyone has a complaint against any. As Christ forgave you, so also you do.

Luke 6:37 Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you shall be forgiven.

When a person repents and returns to the family of God there seems to always be a handful of people who aren't willing to forget the sins of the repentant person and they will find ways of "punishing" the person for the those sins. Either by shunning them, spreading gossip about them, or refusing to accept them into the Church family. It's been my observation that those same people who want to keep punishing are the same people who have a hard time accepting or understanding the gift of grace given to us by Christ's death on the cross. However, the person who is in a habit of forgiving others will have a much better understanding of the mercy and forgiveness God has shown us. That person is truly blessed and happy because their acts of forgiveness are a small reminder to them of the great act of forgiveness Christ did for them. They understand God loves them and forgives them of their sins. They are free from the chains of guilt. Because Christ died for their sins, they are free. The more a person understands what Christ did for them, the easier it will be for them to forgive another. When we forgive, we can enjoy a happy, peaceful, relationship with those around us, and have the peace of mind knowing we are save by grace.