Are you more concerned about being merciful or being right?

Matthew 12:1-14
At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.” He answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread — which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. Or haven’t you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent? I tell you that one greater than the temple is here. If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.

The Pharisees were more concerned about being right in their eyes than being merciful to someone hungry or someone ailing.

How do you act?
Are you merciful to someone that is not pleasing in your eyes?

Is that when you start with the name calling?
Or is that when you try to belittle them?
Or is that when the gossip starts?

No matter what you say you believe about Jesus and the Bible, the way that you act and live your lives is what you really believe about Jesus and His Word.

You can fool a lot of people most of the time but you will never fool God.

Jesus desires mercy not sacrifice.

Hosea 6:6
For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.

Matthew 9:13
But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Matthew 12:7
If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.

Mercy = compassion

MERCY (Heb. hesedh, raham) kindness; gracious; kindness; compassion.

1. Forbearance from inflicting punishment on an adversary or a lawbreaker.

2. The compassion that causes one to help the weak, the sick, or the poor—a cardinal virtue of a true Christian (James 2:1-13) and a “fruit of the Spirit” (Gal 5:22-23).

God’s mercy was shown in giving his beloved Son to die in the place of sinful man;

Christ’s mercy enabled him to willingly make the awful sacrifice (Rom 5:8).

The Hebrew word raham is the most emotional of the terms used to describe the Lord’s love for his people.

Psalms 103:13
As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;

Rightly meriting the translation “compassion.”

Do you gossip and judge others because you are more interested in being right than in showing mercy to others or do you do it just for sport?

2Corinthians 12:20
For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder.

Is this your mode of operandi?

No; we do not agree with everything that someone does or says, but we still love them for they are a creation of God just as you are.

When we disagree we do not criticize, discredit, underrate, undervalue, aggrandize; magnify what they say. We can give our facts and if they do not want to accept them it is their position.

Psalms 40:10
I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and salvation. I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly.

Acts 28:24
Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe.

Matthew 5:7
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

When you start with the name calling, belittlement and gossip you are showing others...

2Corinthians 11:13
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ.

James 2:12-13
Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!

Jude 1:22-23
Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear — hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.

How would you react to someone steping on your toes?
Then find out that they were blind.

Non-Christians are also blind and as you forgive the one who stepped on your toes you need to forgive those who are blind to Jesus and help them on the tight path. If they refuse, you have hope you planted a seed that will sprout some day.

Think of the words of Amazing Grace...

Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see.

Before we came to Christ we were also lost and blind just as the one you find fault with.

Matthew 7:12
So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

And leave all your criticism, sarcasm and innuendos in the garbage pail where they belong.

How can someone call another names and in the same breath say “ I love you “?

If you belong to Jesus, act in a way that would be pleasing in His sight.

TGIF

Malachi 2:6
True instruction was in his mouth and nothing false was found on his lips.
He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many from sin.