October 16, 2010 The Merciful Conscience

It's the insights we receive in our quiet study of the Word of God, and the applications we see as we internally meditate on that Word during our day, that prepare us for the things we face, day in and day out.  We don't suddenly decide what we believe and how to react when someone accuses us falsely to our face, or when our child throws a temper tantrum in the middle of Walmart.  We don't have time to think then-- we just react.  Or better yet, respond.  Responses we'll be happy with, and that will please the Lord, will be determined in the quiet times we spend with the Lord, not on the fly.

Reading Paul's instructions to Timothy today sounded so much like a loving father getting his son ready for dealing with people-- maybe some really obnoxious people-- getting him ready for times he'd more likely react than respond.  It's like he was saying to him, "Son, when you're studying the Word, make sure you study how to be merciful."  Paul gives us some tips. 

He was telling Timothy that as much as we hate evil and want to teach people the right way, we first must be patient and merciful.  The key to this is to remember how we've been in the past.  "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief," said Paul, who went on to express his appreciation for the mercy that Christ had shown him.  I know we can all relate.  The Lord expects us to take this mercy and pass it on.  Without mercy, we are not instructing people, we are setting ourselves up as their judge.  "Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith," Paul explains.  Without mercy, we will not have any of these, for we will not even forgive ourselves. 

Our biggest incentive to be merciful, rather than legalistic and vengeful, is that God is:  "O God, the proud have risen against me, and a mob of violent men have sought my life, and have not set You before them. But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth." Psalm 86: 14-15 NKJV

As hard as it is to swallow sometimes, we must be merciful with sinners, because if we're not, we're "rejecting conscience."  God will eventually punish the wicked.  For now, it is our job to instruct in righteousness and to offer the saving grace of Christ.