Mercy - Wonderful To Receive BUT Hard To Give

“I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice.”

― Abraham Lincoln

My morning did not start off quite the way that I had planned. 

As soon as I pulled into the driveway, I got a call from one of Kenadee's friends asking to please bring her a red shirt because it was Red Week at school and Kenadee had forgotten to take the shirt to school that she was going to borrow.  I said okay and went up to Kenadee's room and found the shirt and a BIG MESS in the kid's rooms and bathroom.  

I went back to the school, wearing no makeup and my "house cleaning" clothes and ran the shirt into the school as quickly as possible avoiding ALL eye contact with anyone.

A few minutes later, when I was almost back home, I got another call from Kenadee saying that she had left her pencil box and science book in my car and asked me to bring it back to her at school again.   Are you kidding me?

Well, I did go back  and bring them to her but during that call I scolded her for her room that I had just recently seen when I went to get the shirt.  (Still in my no makeup and housecleaning clothes I might add.)

So when I got home to clean the house I went upstairs to the third story where their rooms are.   At first, my plan was to just leave their mess and make them clean it up when they got home.  Then something hit me.....maybe they deserve a little mercy.

I was hit like a ton of bricks with a feeling of guilt.  I so often have been granted mercy by God and it is not always so easy to give back to others.  I receive mercy from others but those who hurt me or offend me I tend to just write them off - forever without mercy. (Yes, I know it is a bad trait and something I am working on.)

What a blessing mercy is!   

mer·cy

n. pl. mer·cies

1. Compassionate treatment, especially of those under one's power; clemency.

2. A disposition to be kind and forgiving: a heart full of mercy.

3. Something for which to be thankful; a blessing: It was a mercy that no one was hurt.

4. Alleviation of distress; relief: Taking in the refugees was an act of mercy.

 I want my kids to know this kind of compassionate treatment in their lives.  I also want them to learn to give it back to others.   I especially, more than anything, want them to recognize when God grants them mercy so that they know what the feeling of being fully forgiven so that they have a chance to do great things - rather small or big!

So, today I took action to show them some mercy about not cleaning their rooms.  I cleaned them.   There will be no punishment or no more words said about today's rooms except this note left in their bathroom.   

What are some examples of how you share mercy?  I would love to know to learn from you!