Luke 6:27-30 (ESV)
27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.”

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

I guess that, (if news reports are correct and what I see on Facebook reflects some modicum of what people are really thinking on the subject – probably the only time it does) this message is lost on those at the hard left and right. Probably most of us most of the time if we’re honest.

I transfered the money we’ve raised so far for Nev’s college from her Go Fund Me account today (https://www.gofundme.com/nevaehs-college-fund) to her 529 account. The process brought up the reality (again, after another reminder brought reality up again. Again. Again.) that her mother isn’t with us anymore. A child left before her parents. A mother left before her baby grew up. The world has moved on and we’re left with the grieving process.

Oliver is the grandchild of good friends of ours. He has leukemia and it’s not looking good for him. His mother wrote yesterday: “Blinking Cursor is probably most accurate. Today, we met and talked with doctors after Oliver received his second LP with chemo. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing is pretty or bright about the future…. The truth: I have little hope of a cure for Oliver. I love and treasure him more each day. Watching him suffer will kill me at the same time. Oliver is barely phased. This cruel cycle is all he has known. Three weeks ago, Oliver was competing at a swim meet, and looking forward to birding in TX with his dad in April. He was reissued a passport to enable him to visit Scandinavia and Russia with his grandparents in May. Blinking Cursor.”

I can’t help but wonder what would happen if we took the energy we expend on hate on instead leaned into love and mercy. We spend our time being indignantly self righteous while our neighbors suffer quietly, too hurt or ashamed to ask for help. How many times have we said “I had no idea”….

Lord, how you must shake your head at us. We miss the point. It’s a fair warning too that the merciful will be shown mercy. The flipside of the coin is pretty obvious.

Christ laid out reality, the way it’ll be, the way forward. It pays to remember.

Matthew 5-7 (ESV)
The Sermon on the Mount
1 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.
2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons[a] of God.
10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

A blinking cursor is waiting for someone to type behind it. Let’s type love and mercy.