Les Miserable

   Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.  Matthew 5:7

     This could be the title of many people’s lives today.  It seems that the more we are increased in goods and pleasures and the easier our lives have become, the more we fight depression and our misery index rises higher and higher. 

      There is a man who attends our church.  He was befriended by some of the men in the church who found him homeless and living in the river bottoms.  They were able to share Christ with him and be part of his salvation.  This man has nothing but a bike that was given him and the clothes on his back.  Recently when asked what we could do for him, his only request was for mosquito repellent, “because they are bad down by the river”.  Yesterday, he came to church and was taking some of the bread we were giving away.  I was moved by his smiling face, his gentle demeanor, and his positive attitude. He had about twelve loaves and I asked if he had a way to carry them.  He smiled and said I have my bike.  He was taking the bread to his friends who really needed it. Homeless and poor this man was reaching out to show mercy on those that were in need.  It defies the understanding of this world that one trapped in such a circumstance would not be miserable but here he was living out the fifth beatitude.  There are many people who live in nice homes surrounded by the toys of this life that could learn a lesson from him.

     Often we confuse grace and mercy.  The idea behind mercy is to give help to the miserable and the wretched.  Grace is shown to the undeserving.  Looking beyond the fault and meeting the need.  Mercy is compassion to the miserable. Compassion not grace is a synonym for mercy.  When we take action to alleviate the misery of another’s life that is mercy. 

     Grace moved the hand of God when everything about me was a stench in His nostrils.  When my rebellion separated me from Him and I stood with my fist clenched in defiance it was the grace of God that drew out the plan of salvation.  But it was mercy that laid upon a cross and took my place.  It was mercy that compelled the Son of God to say “Not my will but thine be done”.  Mercy saw our need and came running to meet it.