Mercy & Truth

DO NOT LET MERCY AND TRUTH LEAVE YOU. FASTEN THEM AROUND YOUR NECK. WRITE THEM ON THE TABLET OF YOUR HEART. Proverbs 3.3.

Proverbs is a book that you and I should read regularly or at least as often as possible. It is full of nuggets of wisdom. I love it because it is endearing wisdom. It is wisdom so tenderly passed on from a loving and caring father (King Solomon, the wisest man) to his dear son. It is practical wisdom that Solomon learned through his life’s experiences, both good and bad!

Today’s text teaches you to be always merciful in your dealings and truthful in your actions. It is a reflection of God’s very own character. It is an expression of His dealings with us. Only in God do these two attributes combine harmoniously. The more you read the Scriptures, the better you will understand God’s ways and actions. It will help you to be like your Father in Heaven more and more.

It is a great pity that most Christians show very little mercy to anyone and manifest a lack of truthfulness in their relationships. There are those who show mercy but are not truthful and vice-versa! The Word of God teaches you to be balanced. “Do not let mercy and truth leave you. Fasten them around your neck. Write them on the tablet of your heart”.

It may be possible for us to show mercy to people who deserve it and to some extent to others also. However, often it is very difficult to stand for the truth or be truthful in all situations. It may be awkward, difficult or even dangerous sometimes to do so! I know of pastors keeping quiet about unmarried Christian couples in their churches living together. It is also not uncommon that they do not speak up against Christians courting or even marrying non-Christians! The bible condemns these!

The truth must be tempered with mercy. Where there is plenty of mercy, telling the truth hurts less! But there can be no compromise of the truth. God's Word is Truth. It abides for ever. It does not change with shifting times or culture.

It has been the unwritten code of the evangelicals especially of the East, to abstain from 'social drinking, smoking and the like' for the sake of their Christian testimony before the world. It is also for safety that Christians do not slip into drunkenness and other accompanying vices. It is interesting to note that at the marriage at Cana where the Lord turned water into wine, the chief butler made a revealing remark, "Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine 'after the guests have become drunk'" (Jn 2.10 NIV). When you serve drink to celebrate there is the possibility of you getting drunk our letting others get drunk!

Dear believer, the truth is that the Bible commands, "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit" (Eph 5.18). Don't get stuck with the first part of the commandment but concentrate on the second, "Be continually filled with the Spirit" and you will do well! You can live without wine but not without the Spirit of God and His fullness!

Pray and practise with me: Dear Lord, it is not always easy to be merciful or truthful. I need Your wisdom and the Holy Spirit’s strength and enablement to face real-life situations as they come. Amen.