Bible Reading: Mt. 5:7
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Thought for Reflection:
Damien Bride, former press secretary to Gordon Brown, recently published his memories. In them he talks about the methods he used to undermine Gordon Brown’s opponents. According to the Guardian he ‘admits that he behaved appallingly and says at times he could not live with himself and should have resigned. “Instead I shrugged and carried on becoming more and more detached and losing all sense of judgment.”’ Like a modern day Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, they have found out that striving for power and being ruthless to get and maintain it doesn’t work. In the end if you show no mercy, no mercy is shown to you. What a contrast to Jesus’ example. Rather than demanding that everyone acknowledge the status he had, he came putting it to one side and showing mercy to those who deserved it …and those who did not. Through this his status was supremely shown and acknowledged.
Prayer:
Lord, give me the strength to forgive and the desire to show mercy, especially when undeserved, just as you have done for me.
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