“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭7‬ ‭CSB‬‬

I’m on probation.

Actually we’re all on probation.

I deserve a death sentence, but Jesus died in my place so I’m free. But does the justice system metaphor end there? The real judgment day hasn’t happened yet. So I’m in an in-between time. I guess I’ll call it probation.

It matters what I do with my life during probation. I was shown mercy, so I am expected to show mercy. Because when judgment day comes I’m going to need more mercy.

In Matthew 18 Jesus tells the parable of “The Unforgiving Servant”. It speaks of these two needs for mercy. A servant owes a king a ton of money, but when the servant pleads for mercy, the king forgives the entire debt instead of sending him to debtor’s prison. The servant goes free but is apparently on probation because he is being watched. Sadly, the servant refuses to forgive any of the small debts that are owed to him by various people. He sends them to debtor’s prison. The king is told about this. Now comes the second judgment. Because of the servant’s lack of mercy, the king refuses to continue the mercy he initially extended to him. The servant ends up in prison.

In today’s verse, Jesus is explaining the positive outcome I can have instead of what happened to the Unforgiving Servant. I have been given an enormous gift — forgiveness of a huge, unpayable debt, freedom, and life. I can choose to use this freedom to show mercy or withhold it. I have the choice, and all the power.

In Matthew 25 Jesus also talked about judgment day when people will be divided into “sheep” and “goats.” The sheep are apparently those who lived out God’s mercy. They did things like feed the hungry, visit prisoners, take care of sick people, house strangers…. They were rewarded with mercy and eternal life. The goats didn’t do anything bad necessarily, but they didn’t do any of those merciful things. They thoughtlessly ignored the needy in their world. And they were sentenced to death.

Today’s verse seems pretty innocent. But in light of Jesus’s other teachings on the matter, it seems like a dire warning. I’d much rather be a sheep.

It’s important to note that the Bible makes it clear I can’t earn my way into being a sheep by doing good deeds. I am a sheep because I know God, love Him, and therefore love His people and want to extend mercy. It’s just how a sheep behaves. Goats, on the other hand, are people who simply don’t know God.

Dear God,

I so much want to be a sheep at judgment day! Please show me everyday where my mercy is needed and wanted. Open my eyes to the needs around me. Please forgive me when my heart is hard and teach me how to soften it. And give me the wisdom and courage to extend your Good News to any goats I encounter along the way — the best mercy of all.