MERCY

The ability to detect hurt and emphathize with those who are suffering in the church family. The ability to provide compassionate and cheerful support to those who are experiencing distress, crisis, or pain.

Romans 12:8

DISTINCTIVES:

• Serve next to hurting people with joy in their hearts

• Awareness of God’s presence to comfort

• Gather around those who are confused, suffering, the forgotten, those who have received an injustice in their lives.

• Emotionally bond with those that are suffering and a desire to remove the causes of people’s hurt

• Peaceful confidence, sustained strength

• Positive and patient with people

• Compelling compassion; not just empathy

• Vision to see past a problem in a person’s life and sees the true value of those beneath the pain.

• Luke 6:36 “Be merciful just as your Father is merciful.” When mercy is being expressed, the heart of God is being touched.

CAUTIONS:

• Be careful that God isn’t seeking repentance or reconciliation in someone’s life; seek prayer for answers.

• Don’t feel personally responsible to alleviate a person’s fate so that your heart becomes heavy and effects your life.

• Watch that your mercy does not enable people to avoid the real issues that delay the inevitable consequences.