| "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall | | | | If you think God's calling you to avenge |
| obtain mercy" (Matthew 5:7)."This verse means | | | | yourself, you're mistaken. If you suffer for |
| if you give mercy, you shall receive it," | | | | righteousness' sake, rejoice. If you suffer |
| says Anna, age 9. "It reminds me of the | | | | for some other reason, repent."Mercy means |
| golden rule, 'Do unto others as you would | | | | something that you don't deserve, like if |
| have them do unto you.'" The golden rule is | | | | you're in jail and the first day, you get out |
| still golden, but Jesus went a step further | | | | of jail," says Marcus, 8. "This is |
| when he spoke of loving your enemies. As | | | | mercy."Marcus, let's go one step further. |
| Christina, 6, says, "If someone is bad to | | | | What if the judge who sentenced you to prison |
| you, forgive them."If you're skeptical about | | | | paid your fine? Justice would be served, and |
| going out of your way to show mercy to | | | | you would be free to go.That's what happened |
| someone in need, consider the advice of | | | | when God sent his son to pay the penalty for |
| psychiatrist Karl Menninger. He said the best | | | | our sins. The way to heaven and fellowship |
| way to prevent a nervous breakdown is to find | | | | with God is now open, but it's not because |
| a needy person you can help. For those of us | | | | God's justice has been compromised by his |
| who have lived in a society influenced by | | | | mercy."Blessed are the forgiving, for they |
| Christian compassion, it's difficult to | | | | shall gain kindness and gentle treatment," |
| imagine the callousness of a pagan | | | | says Billy, 10. I like Billy's interpretation |
| society."Let there be a law that no deformed | | | | because forgiveness, kindness and gentleness |
| child shall be reared," wrote Aristotle in | | | | are three faces of mercy.While God's grace |
| his celebrated book "Politics.""We drown even | | | | toward us is based on his mercy, not ours, |
| children, who at birth, are weakly and | | | | it's also true that the merciful obtain |
| abnormal," wrote Seneca, the Roman | | | | mercy. Although God's gift of eternal life |
| philosopher and contemporary of Jesus.In a | | | | can never be withdrawn, Christians who act |
| country where idol worship is common, I | | | | unmercifully risk cutting themselves off from |
| visited a Christian couple who started an | | | | God's blessings of mercy in this life and |
| orphanage for abandoned and abused children. | | | | rewards in the life to come.Point to ponder: |
| Some of the abused children came to the | | | | Because you've received God's mercy, be |
| orphanage because their parents intentionally | | | | merciful or gracious to others.Scripture to |
| maimed them so that they could beg more | | | | remember: "Blessed are the merciful, for they |
| effectively on the streets.Mercy identifies | | | | shall obtain mercy" (Matthew 5:7).Question to |
| with the needs of others. It's the reverse of | | | | consider: Does the mercy you've received from |
| selfishness and self-centeredness. Kinsey, | | | | God affect the way you treat others?Carey |
| 11, provides a small example of identifying | | | | Kinsolving is a syndicated columnist, |
| with the needs of others: "When somebody was | | | | producer, author, speaker and website |
| out of paper, I gave them a few sheets of | | | | developer. To see Carey's Kid TV Interviews |
| paper. Then when I was out of paper, they | | | | and more, visit The Kids Talk About God |
| gave me a few sheets. And that was my way to | | | | website contains free, online content for |
| obtain mercy."The foundation for Christian | | | | children and families. Print free lessons |
| mercy is the fact that we've been forgiven a | | | | from the "Kids Color Me Bible" and make your |
| debt too large to calculate. For those who | | | | own book. Watch for free the adventures of an |
| have received the forgiveness of sins in | | | | 11-year-old girl traveling around the world, |
| Jesus Christ, there's no room for bitterness | | | | visiting missionaries in the Mission |
| or an unforgiving spirit. Any wrong we've | | | | Explorers Streaming Video. Print Bible |
| suffered from others is small compared to the | | | | pictures drawn by kids that illustrate |
| debt Jesus paid for us on the cross.Don't | | | | Scripture verses. Receive a complimentary, |
| worry about personal injustices. God will | | | | weekly e-mail subscription to our Devotional |
| settle all accounts. "'Vengeance is Mine, I | | | | Bible Lessons. Bible quotations in this |
| will repay,' says the Lord" (Romans 12:19). | | | | column are from the New King James Version. |