Blessed are the merciful

[Guest]

Matthew 5:7 Blessed are the merciful:for they shall obtain mercy.

If I understand the terms correctly, showing mercy is an active situation where the disciple forgives his brother of something the brother genuinely has no way of repaying. Say 2 men both claim to be disciples of Jesus. One is a businessman and one a laborer. The laborer works for cash and apparently does not report all income for taxation purposes. The laborer uses the lowered income figures to apply for government assistance to pay a bill to the businessman. When the laborer approached the businessman for a service, the businessman was under the impression that the laborer would pay his bill. After the service was performed, no payment was made and the laborer informed the businessman that he needed a record of the charges to be added to a claim that would help him qualify for a "spend down" benefit from the government from which the businessman would ultimately be paid. The businessman was not aware of this at the beginning. In fact, the businessman was aware that the laborer both sang and ministered in a Christian congregation, quoted scripture and seemed to witness for Christ among non-believers. No payment was ever made by anyone and the laborer did not answer written inquiries about the bill.

The businessman needs some advice as to what he should think. Since he knows the laborer likely has the means to pay, he doesn't believe he would be showing mercy by letting the bill go unpaid. If he simply stamps the bill PAID and files it away, has he shown mercy or something else?

livingink

[Guest]

Livingink,

Seems to me that , as a Christian, the businessman must obey the law of love. The loving thing to do would be to bring the laborer to repentance, which is not encouraged by allowing the man to get away with his fraudulent, sinful behavior. Allowing him to get away with it is, in a sense, rewarding sinful behavior. When a certain behavior is rewarded, you usually see more of it, not less, and that does not seem to be loving to me.

[Guest]

Thanks , Homer. As I remember Steve's teaching on the Beattitudes, I believe he said that many of the teachings in subsequent chapters of Matthew could be considered case studies as they related to the general principles stated in Matthew 5. Probably not his exact words and I don't mean to misquote. But, I'm wondering how the story of the men who doubled their talents might apply. Since the businessman in my example theoretically has lost some of God's money, will he be called to account if he doesn't pursue the laborer and will he wind up in the woodshed yet AGAIN?

livingink