Day 280, Year 1

Mercy Or Disgrace?

“Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a disgrace to any people.” (Proverbs 14:34 NASB)

“For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.” (Hosea 6:6 NKJV)

“Disgrace” in the first verse of today and “mercy” in the second are both chesed in Hebrew. This word also means “goodness, kindness, favor, faithfulness, loyalty, reproach, or shame.” It is worth noting that chesed is rarely translated into “disgrace.” The general idea is that when people treat sin incorrectly, it results in mercy towards indulgence, which leads to disgrace. This resonates with Jesus’ words, that while good people speak good words, the wicked speak evil. Whether it is a mercy or a disgrace depends on what people value or condone in their thoughts, and how God evaluates and judges people’s words and deeds. 

God desires goodness or mercy, meaning that He is willing to help those in need. From Jesus’ words, the weightier spirit or provisions of the law is a merciful heart and the actions that stem from Him for God’s people. Conversely, sacrifices are usually made by taking a portion of people’s possessions and offering them as gifts to God. During the New Testament era, Israelites generally believed that wealthy people were more able to gain God’s favor because they had more opportunities to offer sacrifices to please Him. Consequently, they showed contempt for Jesus’ words. In my opinion, the most crucial need for believers is to understand what God loves, His kindness and righteousness, so that our hearts can be changed and give rise to corresponding merciful actions.

On the contrary, when people have mercy on sins, sins will not cease, and disgrace will come sooner or later. The heart of mercy that God initially created in humans can be eaten away and distorted by all sorts of evils. This is why Jesus states that justice precedes mercy (Matthew 23:23). Believers need to understand His righteous judgment and replace our sins with His justice, so that we can feel His mercy and kindness and act on His, helping others with a heart that He pleases. Nonetheless, a benevolent heart should not be deceived or abused. Believers need to pray for the Lord’s wisdom and His guidance to exercise merciful actions. In other words, the goodness and mercy of believers should not directly or indirectly foster the multiplication of sins.

Reflection questions:

1) Have you learned the justice and righteousness of the Lord Jesus so that you could eradicate all sorts of sins from your life?

2) Do you have the merciful heart of the Lord? If you are lacking, how would you change yourself by the Lord’s help?