For the past few years, I've noticed myself taking on the words "Mercy, Grace, Compassion" as mantras with more frequency. It's hard to imagine a world without those things, and Jesus makes that clear in the Bible over and over. It seems so sad that it took me this long to begin practicing that.
I recently watched the latest Knowles interview with the formerly gay/trans now heteronormative couple. Two things were particularly striking in that interview: first, just how narrowly we escape overwhelming challenges & sorrows in our life by certain choices and, secondly, that there is no other way out besides mercy. The fact that we are all sinners and each have our own stories of terrible errors makes one think this shouldn’t be so hard a task. The couple admits in the interview that they have experienced more vitriol from the Christian crowd than the trans community - a devastating reality (as I’m sure you have personally experienced). It seems there is an exponential increase of choices on the horizon coupled with an algorithmic bias to insist on a certain set of values as correct (remember the AI-produced racially diverse Nazis and founding fathers?). If a key to mercy is remembering our past and owning our mistakes - how do we live that out in a landscape where AI is rewriting the past and our mistakes are covered up by our virtual lives?
I’ve always said, the quality of mercy is not strained; it drops as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed; it blesses him that gives and him that takes.
But, yes. Mercy is a lost virtue. I’ve asked for it before, and am refreshed when I offer it.
As a cop, it’s a challenging ideal to hold. I pray that The Father has changed hearts when I’ve chosen the path of mercy in lieu of calculated justice.
An anecdotal observation: some people expect mercy when they’ve done wrong, yet others are surprised by it. The quickest way for me to be motivated to drop the hammer of justice is to demonstrate a sense of entitlement.
Where does that expectation come from, and how do I raise my children to humbly accept their consequences?
My best friend in high school died five years ago, but I didn't learn about his death until four years later. We went in radically different directions after college, and I last saw him 40 years ago, when he was working as a banker, and I as a janitor.
Last year I drove to a neighboring county to obtain an informational death certificate. It wasn't out of a ghoulish need to know, but simple curiosity -- and because the knowledge might help me pray for his eternal soul with greater insight.
The cause of death and contributing conditions were worse than I'd imagined: hepatic encephalopathy, alcoholic cirrhosis, cachexia, macrocytic anemia, legionella pneumonia, ileus, and yes (listed last, almost as an afterthought), depression.
How I wish he had shown up "at his oldest friend's house to ask for help." I couldn't have fixed things, but would have at the very least listened.
This letter so resonated with me...I worked in the weight loss industry for 28 years. We've created a world (because we think we can do everything better than God) that is ruining our health, physical and mental, and have built very profitable industries that pray off our suffering. Women are especially effected by our poisoned world because of our hormones. I am always appalled at commenters who insult people and say just eat less and move more. And we are now celebrating obesity and mocking discipline as racist. I pray that we have mercy on all those who are unhealthy, especially the poor, and fight to create a healthier world for all of us.
For the past few years, I've noticed myself taking on the words "Mercy, Grace, Compassion" as mantras with more frequency. It's hard to imagine a world without those things, and Jesus makes that clear in the Bible over and over. It seems so sad that it took me this long to begin practicing that.
I recently watched the latest Knowles interview with the formerly gay/trans now heteronormative couple. Two things were particularly striking in that interview: first, just how narrowly we escape overwhelming challenges & sorrows in our life by certain choices and, secondly, that there is no other way out besides mercy. The fact that we are all sinners and each have our own stories of terrible errors makes one think this shouldn’t be so hard a task. The couple admits in the interview that they have experienced more vitriol from the Christian crowd than the trans community - a devastating reality (as I’m sure you have personally experienced). It seems there is an exponential increase of choices on the horizon coupled with an algorithmic bias to insist on a certain set of values as correct (remember the AI-produced racially diverse Nazis and founding fathers?). If a key to mercy is remembering our past and owning our mistakes - how do we live that out in a landscape where AI is rewriting the past and our mistakes are covered up by our virtual lives?
I’ve always said, the quality of mercy is not strained; it drops as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed; it blesses him that gives and him that takes.
But, yes. Mercy is a lost virtue. I’ve asked for it before, and am refreshed when I offer it.
As a cop, it’s a challenging ideal to hold. I pray that The Father has changed hearts when I’ve chosen the path of mercy in lieu of calculated justice.
An anecdotal observation: some people expect mercy when they’ve done wrong, yet others are surprised by it. The quickest way for me to be motivated to drop the hammer of justice is to demonstrate a sense of entitlement.
Where does that expectation come from, and how do I raise my children to humbly accept their consequences?
My best friend in high school died five years ago, but I didn't learn about his death until four years later. We went in radically different directions after college, and I last saw him 40 years ago, when he was working as a banker, and I as a janitor.
Last year I drove to a neighboring county to obtain an informational death certificate. It wasn't out of a ghoulish need to know, but simple curiosity -- and because the knowledge might help me pray for his eternal soul with greater insight.
The cause of death and contributing conditions were worse than I'd imagined: hepatic encephalopathy, alcoholic cirrhosis, cachexia, macrocytic anemia, legionella pneumonia, ileus, and yes (listed last, almost as an afterthought), depression.
How I wish he had shown up "at his oldest friend's house to ask for help." I couldn't have fixed things, but would have at the very least listened.
This letter so resonated with me...I worked in the weight loss industry for 28 years. We've created a world (because we think we can do everything better than God) that is ruining our health, physical and mental, and have built very profitable industries that pray off our suffering. Women are especially effected by our poisoned world because of our hormones. I am always appalled at commenters who insult people and say just eat less and move more. And we are now celebrating obesity and mocking discipline as racist. I pray that we have mercy on all those who are unhealthy, especially the poor, and fight to create a healthier world for all of us.
Lord Jesus Christ , Son of God,
Have mercy on me, a sinner. Amen
So true, young Klavan. You are wise beyond your years
Mercy is not mercy if it is deserved.
I was angry and unforgiving when I heard this preached in a church in Nazareth. It changed me utterly.