Be Merciful

by Doy Moyer

We cannot see what is going on inside someone. That’s obvious, but sometimes our judgments about people assume that everything should be normal for them because we can’t see anything outwardly wrong. If we see them acting in ways we would otherwise expect, we might judge them to be rude, or worse. When someone is dealing with internal issues that affect their interactions with others, it’s easy to lose patience or think that the person just doesn’t care or is being selfish. We judge the feelings of others based on how we think they should feel, and this can lead to serious misjudgments and assumptions that change how we treat them. Our judgment is based on outward appearance when, internally, there may be another story to tell.

This drives home to me why we need to be merciful. I’m not talking about going easy on sin. We need to be aware that problems suffered aren’t always visible, and these are not issues that can be fixed by just telling people to get over it or have more faith. There are complex issues that may involve physical problems in the brain (e.g., a lack of dopamine in patients with Parkinson’s disease), which can impact movement, emotions, and cognitive functions. One’s whole system is affected. However frustrating it may seem, know that the person dealing with it is even more frustrated.

What do we do about it? Be patient, merciful, and kind. Be a help. Be aware. Pray for one another. Let people know you care.

"Strengthen the weak hands,
and make firm the feeble knees.
Say to those who have an anxious heart,
'Be strong; fear not!
Behold, your God
will come with vengeance,
with the recompense of God.
He will come and save you'” (Isaiah 35:3-4).