E93 - Hope’s Harbor Gritty Bible Devotions - Discovering Your Spiritual Gift - Part 7 of 7
Hope’s Harbor
Gritty Bible Devotions
Episode #93
Title: What is your spiritual gift? Part 7 of 7 - Mercy
Date: February 13, 2023
Contact: info@hopesharbor.net
Key verse: Mat 5:7 – “Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.”
There are two meanings of mercy in this verse, although both have to do with compassion – the first is actively merciful, to give mercy to others, as in Blessed are the merciful, and the second is to receive the compassion of mercy, as from GOD.
Intro: Having the gift of mercy may make it easier to be merciful with others, but we are all called upon to show mercy. We are to have compassion for others, especially those who are suffering. Even if the suffering is brought on by their poor choices. That being said, sometimes the merciful thing to do is let consequences for poor choices run their course and teach the lesson GOD intends. The lesson of course is ‘Don’t do that again!’
Devotion focus: When to show mercy –
There are 261 verses in the King James Version containing the word mercy. In the Old Testament, the word is normally used to describe something GOD has done or something people are praying to receive from GOD.
In the New Testament, since GOD revealed through Jesus the greatest act of mercy ever seen when Jesus went to the Cross and died for us, the requirement for mercy is now shifted to us.
Even though the New Testament contains numerous events in which people asked and cried out for mercy, in many instances Jesus taught about the need for us to provide mercy. This verse in Matthew 9:13 is prominent among them, “But go and learn what this means: 'I DESIRE MERCY AND NOT SACRIFICE.' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."
In this passage, Jesus is confronting the religious crowd of His day and essentially told them He desired love and not rituals. Now, rituals are going to be present within every religious organization, but here Jesus warned against living and acting as if the ritual were the end-all deed. This type of thinking and practice is legalism at its worst.
I think it safe to say mercy comes from a loving heart. That is certainly the case with GOD the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit of GOD. So, if we’re going to practice mercy and do the work it will require, then motive is everything.
If you will think through the different ways you can give mercy, see if it reveals love in every circumstance. If so, then it fulfills the Greatest Commandment – to love GOD.
Listen to Jesus explain this in Matthew 22:37-39 - ‘Jesus said to him, “YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'”
If we obey this command to love others, does it stand to reason we will show them mercy?
And so it’s evident when we love others we show them mercy. Does this mean we become weak and not stand up to abuse and injustice? Not at all. This is where our wisdom comes in, knowing how to be firm when taking a stand against evil, and being merciful at the same time.
Here’s an example of when David practiced this principle of mercy and firmness combined. During his law enforcement career, he was dispatched one night to a complaint of a man standing on the side of the road yelling obscene suggestions at motorists, all the while dressed in a woman’s lingerie which left little to the imagination. Knowing children were in some of those vehicles made it difficult to contain his anger at the perversity.
He and another officer staked out the location during the time the crime had occurred on previous nights, and sure enough before long the man appeared. David and the other officer gave chase and soon located the house the man ran into. They gained entry and while David cuffed the perpetrator, he asked the man, “You have a problem, don’t you, son?” The man replied, “Yes.”
At the jail as David released the man to deputies, the man thanked David for treating him with kindness. David told him he needed to get help when he got out.
David goes on to say, “I relate this story because at times it will be difficult to show mercy to people who don’t live as Christians. People who do evil and the knowledge of it will be revolting to us. We have to deal with our natural tendencies to avoid such people and not pass up the opportunities to show mercy. And of course, use wisdom by all means. Sometimes it will be too dangerous to interact directly with evil people, just ask GOD and ask your pastor. Believe me, they have plenty of experience in dealing with the fringes of society.
Having the gift of mercy is a gift given to us by GOD and He intends we use it to the best of our ability. One day we must stand before GOD and when He asks us to account for the gift we’ll tell how we used mercy, or not.
Summary: Although having the gift of mercy should certainly make it easier to be merciful, mercy is still required of each one of us. We are commanded to love one another and a primary way to do this is by showing mercy when we’re able.
One positive outcome of showing mercy through our actions is that it brings a sense of happiness.
Action to consider: Read an account of mercy in Luke 10:28-37 to help with motivation. Then look for opportunities to show mercy by doing one or more of the following:
· Support an orphanage overseas. Due diligence is needed to insure the monies go to the children
· Support a maternity clinic overseas. Again, due diligence. Here is one clinic I’ve worked at and support: kupendwaministries.org
· Volunteer at a ministry feeding the homeless
· Pick one or more of the following suggestions from an online source:
1. Help your family. (Romans 12:10) ...
2. Volunteer at church. (Peter 4:10-11) ...
3. Donate items to a homeless shelter. (Matthew 25:46) ...
4. Send someone an encouraging note. (1 Thessalonians 5:11) ...
5. Deliver a meal. (Acts 20:35) ...
6. Watch someone's kids. ...
7. Help other people shine. ...
8. Listen to someone who is hurting.
Next week’s devotion: A result of abiding in Christ
Appendix:
More notes for study:
https://www.fba.org/discipleship/guide-to-spiritual-gifts
· Prophecy
· Service
· Teaching
· Exhortation
· Giving
· Leadership (organization)
· Mercy
Prophecy:
Characteristics of the Gift of Prophecy
• Need to express themselves
• Quick impressions of people
• Alertness to dishonesty
• Desire for justice
• Openness about their own faults
• Wholehearted involvement
• Loyalty to truth vs. people
• Willingness to suffer for right
• Persuasiveness in defining truth
■ Misunderstandings of the Gift of Prophecy
• The individual’s sense of right and wrong may be judged as intolerance
• The strong desire to proclaim truth may be interpreted as disinterest in listening to another’s point of view
• Frankness may be viewed as harshness
• Interest in groups may be interpreted as disinterest in individuals
• Efforts to gain results may be seen as using gimmicks
• Emphasis on decision may appear as neglecting spiritual growth
• Public boldness and strict standards may hinder intimate personal relationships
The Gift of Prophecy in the Spirit vs. the Flesh
Spirit Flesh
Truthfulness Deception
Obedience Willfulness
Sincerity Hypocrisy
Virtue Impurity
Boldness Fearfulness
Forgiveness Rejection
Perseverance Contentiousness
Service:
Characteristics of the Gift of Service
• Sees and meets practical needs
• Frees others to achieve
• Disregards weariness
• Has difficulty in saying “no”
• Is alert to likes and dislikes
• Has a strong desire to be with others
• Needs approval
• Likes short-range projects
• Puts extra punch to jobs
• Meets needs quickly
• Tends to feel inadequate and unqualified
■ Misunderstandings of the Gift of Service
• Quickness in meeting needs may appear pushy
• Avoidance of red tape may result in excluding others from jobs
• Disregard for personal needs may extend to one’s own family needs
• Eagerness in serving may prompt suspicion of self-advancement
• May react to others who do not detect and meet obvious needs
• Insistence on serving may appear to be rejection of being served
• Desire to sense sincere appreciation may result in being easily hurt
• Quickness in meeting needs may interfere with spiritual lessons God is teaching those with the needs
• Meeting practical needs may be judged as a lack of interest in spiritual matters
• Enjoyment of short-range goals may result in leadership positions and frustration or disorganization with long-range objectives
• Inability to avoid others’ needs may result in sidetracking employer’s directions
The Gift of Service in the Spirit vs. the Flesh
Spirit Flesh
Alertness Unconscious
Hospitality Loneliness
Generosity Stingy
Joyfulness Self-pity
Flexibility Resistance
Availability Self-centered
Endurance Giving up
Teaching:
Characteristics of the Gift of Teaching
• Presents truth systematically
• Requires thoroughness
• Needs to validate information
• Checks out the teacher
• Has great delight in researching
• Relies on established resources
• Is uneasy with subjective truth
• Clarifies misunderstandings
■ Misunderstandings of the Gift of Teaching
• Appears to neglect practical application
• Knowledge may appear as pride
• Appears critical
• Appears boring with unnecessary details
• Appears dependent on research
• Appears to despise wisdom of uneducated teachers
• Appears to lack warmth
The Gift of Teaching in the Spirit vs. the Flesh
Spirit Flesh
Self-control Self-indulgence
Reverence Disrespect
Diligence Laziness, slothfulness
Thorough Incomplete
Dependable Inconsistent
Security Anxiety
Patience Restless, push work aside
Exhortation
Characteristics of the Gift of Exhortation
• Is committed to spiritual growth
• Is able to see root problems
• Prescribes steps of action
• Raises hope for solutions
• Turns problems into benefits
• Desires to be transparent
• Gains insight through experience
• Urges action on clear steps
• Desires to share face to face
• Desires to bring harmony between diverse groups
• Tends to avoid systems of information that lack practical application
■ Misunderstandings of the Gift of Exhortation
• An emphasis on steps of action may appear to be an oversimplification of the problem
• The urgency in giving steps of action may appear as having overconfidence in them
• May appear to be un-evangelistic because of an emphasis on the importance of spiritual growth and being
a living example
• The desire to win non-Christians through living example may appear
as a lack of interest in personal evangelism
• The use of Scripture for practical applications may appear to take it out of context
• The emphasis on steps of action may appear to disregard the feelings of those being counseled
The Gift of Exhortation in the Spirit vs. the Flesh
Spirit Flesh
Wisdom Natural inclinations
Discernment Judgment
Faith Presumption
Discretion Simple mindedness
Love Selfishness
Creativity Underachievement
Enthusiasm Apathy
Giving
Characteristics of the Gift of Giving
• Is able to see resources
• Desires to feel a part of the work
• Desires to give high quality
• Hopes the gift is an answer to prayer
• Desires to give secretly
• Prefers to give without pressure of appeal
• Is concerned that giving will corrupt
• Exercises personal thriftiness
• Gives to motivate others to give
• Confirms amount with counsel
■ Misunderstandings of the Gift of Giving
• The need to deal with large sums of money may appear to be a focus on temporal things
• The desire to increase the effectiveness of a ministry by a gift may appear to be an attempt to control the work or person
• The attempt to encourage others to give may appear to be putting pressure on people who have less to give
• The lack of response to pressure appeals may appear as a lack of generosity
• The personal frugality by which the individual lives may appear to friends and relatives as selfishness in not meeting their wants
The Gift of Giving in the Spirit vs. the Flesh
Spirit Flesh
Thrifty Extravagant
Resourceful Wasteful
Contented Covetous
Punctual Tardiness
Tolerant Prejudice
Cautious Rashness Giving – Unthankfulness
Leadership (Organization)
Characteristics of the Gift of Organization
• The ability to see the big picture and visualize the final results of a major undertaking
• The ability to break down the major goals into smaller, achievable tasks
• The motivation to organize that for which he or she is responsible
• The ability to know what resources are available and needed to reach a goal
• The ability to know what can and what cannot be delegated
• A tendency to remove him or herself from detracting details in order to focus
on the ultimate goals
• A willingness to endure reaction
• A need for loyalty and confidence from those who are being directed and served
• A tendency to assume responsibility if no structured leadership exists
• A desire to complete the task as soon as possible
• A joy and fulfillment in seeing all the parts come together and others enjoying the finished product
• A desire to move on to a new challenge when the previous task is fully completed
■ Misunderstandings of the Gift of Organization
• The ability to delegate responsibility may appear as laziness in avoiding work
• The willingness to endure reaction may appear to be callous
• The neglect in explaining why tasks must be done may prompt workers to feel like they are being misused
• The viewing of people as resources may appear that projects are more important than people
• The desire to complete the task swiftly may appear to be insensitivity to the schedule, weariness or priorities of others
• Singling out people the individual thinks is specially important to his goals may appear to be showing favoritism
The Gift of Organization in the Spirit vs. the Flesh
Spirit Flesh
Orderly Disorganization
Initiative Apathetic
Responsibility Unreliable
Humility Dictatorial
Decisiveness Double-mindedness
Determination Faintheartedness
Loyalty Unfaithful
Mercy
Characteristics of the Gift of Mercy
• The ability to feel an atmosphere of joy or distress in an individual or group
• A tendency to be attracted to and understand people who are having mental or emotional distress
• A desire to remove hurts and bring healing to others rather than to
look for the benefits of the hurts
• A greater concern for the mental distress than the physical distress of others
• A sensitivity to words and actions that will hurt others
• A tendency to react harshly when intimate friends are rejected
• An ability to sense genuine love and a greater vulnerability to deeper and more frequent hurts from the lack of love
• A need for deep friendships in which there is a mutual commitment
• A need to measure acceptance by physical closeness and quality time together
• An enjoyment and unity with those who are sensitive to the needs and feelings of others
• A tendency to avoid firmness unless the individual sees how it will bring benefit and eliminate greater hurt
• A closing of the spirit to those who are insincere or insensitive
■ Misunderstandings of the Gift of Mercy
• The avoidance of firmness may appear to be weakness and indecisiveness
• The sensitivity to the spirit and feelings of others may cause some to feel the individual is guided by emotion rather than logic
• The attractions and understanding of those in distress may be misinterpreted by those of the opposite sex
• The sensitivity to words and actions that cause hurts may appear to be taking up another’s offense
• The ability to detect insincere motives may cause some to feel he or she is hard to get to know
The Gift of Mercy in the Spirit vs. the Flesh
Spirit Flesh
Attentiveness Unconcern
Sensitivity Callousness
Fairness Partiality
Compassion Indifference
Gentleness Harshness
Deference Rudeness
Meekness Anger