Since God Chose You to be Holy…

One of my elders, Raymond, is known for his tender heart. He says he can cry at the drop of a hat, but that’s not really true – he cries for people. He is touched by the joys, the struggles, the losses of people who cross paths with him. His tenderheartedness is reflected in the compassion and dedication he exhibits in every encounter with people. And he is not the only one who cares. We all, who have decided to follow Christ, feel the struggle of balancing our responsibilities with our desire to serve the needs of others.

Colossians 3:12 says, in part, that tenderhearted mercy reflects our holiness. Indeed, this verse says that God chose us to be holy. He made his people unique when he selected them from out of the pool of humanity and set each one aside into his “keepers” bin. Then he says here is one way you need to reflect your uniqueness: treat people with a compassionate mercy.

Mercy is to not give people what they deserve. It is withholding punishment. It is also providing for them when they have not earned it. Mercy defies reason, since reason would dictate equity, but mercy freely slathers on much better than you could have expected. When you look back at mercy, you are still in wonder at how it could have worked out to be so beneficial for you.

Now, for all of those who have become immune to emotional entanglements with others; for those who often quote, “if a man will not work, neither shall he eat.” (2 Thess 3:10); for those who love justice more than mercy; and who are perhaps more taken with the legal requirements of scripture, please note that this is an emphatic statement – a command. You must be completely enshrouded with a tender heart that expresses itself through mercy. Give, give, give to others more than they ought to responsibly expect. And don’t stop. Look, there’s someone else over there who could use a little compassion.