We have been covering the Beatitudes in the Gospel of Matthew. There are eight Beatitudes. The first four focus on your personal spiritual maturity whereas the last four emphasize the outworking or results of your mature walk with others.
Matthew 5:7
Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
When you have progressed through the phases of emptying of “self”, releasing the old man, living in moderation and willingness to serve, and ultimately having a singular focus toward righteousness, you will then walk in mercy toward others. You will then look beyond the weaknesses of others and no longer be judgmental of their blind state. You reap what you sow. If you sow mercy, you will reap mercy. You no longer demand an exacting punishment toward outward failure of obeying the Law but instead you minister to the inward man where the Law is actually being broken. As a man thinks, so is he. Jesus went into further detail of this truth:
21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder,fn and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.
Jesus moved the issue from the outworking of sin to the “intent” in the heart. The mature son will focus on the internal issues while observing the resulting fruit. Until each of us lines up with HIS Divine Intent, we will continue to deal with the old man. Since HIS Divine Intent is based upon Love, we must pursue the fullness of this bond of perfection, this agape Love that looks through the eyes of compassion rather than that of judgmental self-exaltation.
We must practice forgiveness everyday. Our ego wants to pull out the scales of justice for others’ actions, not our own. Our mind does not understand forgiveness since it is “cause and effect” oriented. Jesus made a point about forgiving others 7 x 70 or 490, the number of Jubilee. We must fully release others of their debt to us. “You owe me” is a favorite saying of the ego. Our ego wants to keep others in debt to us so that we can lord the debt over others. True mercy forgives the debt, just as Our Heavenly Father forgave our debts. The ego does not want to move from the arena of “conditions” to that of unconditional Love.
Jesus made it quite clear that if you have a “heart” issue with someone, clear it up before you enter into the temple or presence of Our Heavenly Father:
:23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
This message is one of reconciliation and restoration. If Our Heavenly Father was in the eternal damnation business, do you think Jesus would have urged us to restore our relationships? As you practice forgiveness everyday, it will free up your soul. You will no longer be plagued with thoughts of “getting even”. Instead, you will continue your growth toward the fullness of your calling. This Beatitude is the first of the four dealing with the “horizontal” ministry we are all called to walk in. If you are not merciful, how can you expect to do greater works than Jesus? After all, everyone He healed had not yet been fully restored to Our Heavenly Father because He had not yet gone to the Cross. What an example of mercy and forgiveness, and most of all, Love!