Understanding Mercy

Today's Gospel verse is Luke 17:11-19.  Jesus, on the way to Jerusalem is going through the area of Samaria and Galilee.  He comes upon 10 lepers who cry out to him to make them well.  Jesus says to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests" and as they did they were made clean.  One though returned to praise Jesus for making him whole again.  When Jesus sees this man on the ground, praising him he says, "Were not ten made clean? But the other nine where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?"  Then he said to the man, "Get up and go on your way; you faith has made you well."

One man realized what a huge gift he had been given by Jesus.  He came back to thank and praise him for his mercy, for his grace.  He was the only one.  Now I'm sure the others were very happy they were clean of the Leprosy and they went and followed what Jesus told them to do but where was their heart?  Where was their appreciation?  Their connection to what Jesus had done?

Are we often like that? So ready to either follow the letter of what someone has told us or ready to get back to what we wanted to do before we became afflicted with whatever it was before someone helped us.

I can think of something as simple as someone holding a door open at a WaWa or allowing someone to turn in front of us even though we didn't "have to."  Those little things that some of us do just because it is the nice thing to do and how do people respond?  If they don't respond do we just take comfort that we did it or do we get an attitude if it is not acknowledged?  And if it is done for us do we show appreciation?   All what seem such little things.

What about the following situation...

Two people come together to help out those in need due to a hurricane.  They are working together to rebuild homes for those who lost them during a terrible hurricane.  The work together for weeks and seem to get along very well.  At the end they swap phone numbers and email addresses and realize how close they live to each other and agree to get together once back home and settled.

Once home there is a GLBT Pride festival and one of the two in this budding friendship goes to the Pride festival with their adult child who is gay and the other is there protesting the festival.  At some point in the day they see each other and are left almost speechless until one tries to address the other.  It turns out very bad.

How can we provide mercy to someone in a situation like that with a hurricane victim and then turn 180-degrees on someone who we've bonded with so easily on an issue like someone being gay or supporting a gay family member?

Mercy and Grace - God's greatest gifts, are given free, no strings attached.  There is no conditions saying, "Well, if you are gay it's a different story."  Grace and Mercy love, just love - and that is the love that God expects us to give to God's children.

Think about how Mercy and Grace live in your heart and are acted out in your world, how you lead with your heart, not with your judgments.  Share here what you do to stop that inner critic.  I know there are those of you out there who love unconditionally....... let us meet you here.