(10.14.20—I Desire Mercy!--Matthew 12:7)
My friend, may I ask you a question? When it comes to showing mercy to others, are you and I “on call” to our Heavenly Father?
My friend, life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day.
I’m M. Clifford Brunner?
One of the jobs that I’ve always marveled at is that of the person who is “on call”. My wife Holly is a nurse and is frequently “on call.” Being “on call” means that you need to be available at any hour of the day or night should that pager go off. When it does and it’s the middle of the night, it’s usually a mad dash to rub the sleep out of your eyes, get dressed, start the truck and get to the hospital as quickly as possible. I’ve seen Holly do this many times. But, what’s so remarkable is that it seems she puts the same amount of effort into every case, critical or not. If it’s a critical care case coming into recovery, she’s there, ready to go and get the job done. And, if it’s just a simple broken bone or tonsillectomy, she’s there as well. For Holly it doesn’t matter if the case is critical or not; the sacrifice at 2:00 AM is always the same, critical or not. But, as she always says, someone’s got to do it and it might as well be me.
When it comes to showing mercy to others, are you and I “on call” to our Heavenly Father?
Here’s a story: During World War II, Scottish soldiers, forced by their Japanese captors to labor on a jungle railroad, had degenerated to barbarous behavior, but one afternoon something happened. A shovel was missing. The officer in charge became enraged and threatened to kill them all on the spot. Finally, one man stepped forward. The officer picked up a shovel, and beat the man to death. When it was over, the survivors picked up the body and carried it to the second tool check. This time, no shovel was missing. Indeed, there had been a miscount at the first checkpoint. The word spread like wildfire through the whole camp. An innocent man had been willing to die to save the others! The incident had a pro- found effect. The men began to treat each other like brothers. When the victorious Allies swept in, the survivors, human skeletons, lined up in front of their captors (and instead of attacking their captors) insisted: “No more hatred. No more killing. Now what we need is mercy.” Sacrificial love has transforming power. (Don Ratzlaff, “The Christian Leader”)
It’s been said “to make large sacrifices in big things is easy, but to make sacrifices in little things is what we are seldom capable of.” Because one man was willing to mercifully sacrifice himself in a small thing, accounting for one missing shovel, many were taught to be sacrificially merciful in a large way, accounting for the lives of those Japanese captors. You and I need to be willing to love others enough to be able to sacrifice our comforts, our time and, perhaps, even our physical wellbeing for anyone who has a need, big or small. It’s a big job, to show mercy in small ways so that our examples will lead others to show mercy in all ways. But, someone’s got to do it and it might as well be us.
We pray. Heavenly Father. Whew we are willing to mercifully sacrifice ourselves in a small thing, many can be taught to be sacrificially merciful in a large way, accounting for the lives of others whom You want us to show mercy for. Lord, we need to be willing to love others enough to be able to sacrifice our comforts, our time and, perhaps, even our physical wellbeing for anyone who has a need, big or small. Forgive us when we neglect to do this or shy away from it. It’s a big job, to show mercy in small ways so that our examples will lead others to show mercy in all ways. But, someone’s got to do it and it might as well be us. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!
Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.
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<thispassingday@gmail.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.