Here is the revelation that is shaping my life today- I so often defend the truth with placard and condemnation in hand rather than posture myself with mercy and compassion.
Jude 1:22-23 TPT
[22] Keep being compassionate to those who still have doubts, [23] and snatch others out of the fire to save them. Be merciful over and over to them, but always couple your mercy with the fear of God. Be extremely careful to keep yourselves free from the pollutions of the flesh.
Observation
We lose compassion often when we take the position that I am right and you are wrong. Superiority subtlety defeats mercy and compassion. I think the church, by that I mean me, has often seen themselves to be defenders of truth rather than compassionate sharers. Again defense defeats compassion as it is a stance of war, I am not compassionate towards those who I perceive to be my enemy. I, we, have laid down our mercy for placards of abuse in attempts to defend the truth. But the truth calls us to mercy and compassion.
Do we, I, take the fear of God too far and become His defenders, when He never asked us to defend Him but to be compassionate and merciful to those who have doubts in order to share with them salvation. Have I become afraid of the pollution of my flesh to the point where I must put others down with my accusations and condemnation to make me feel better about myself?
“Keep being compassionate… Be merciful over and over to them,” these clear directions must be the prevailing shaping story of how we interact with people who have doubts and disbeliefs. Allow our compassion and mercy to be directed by God so that we do not become supporters of the pollution of the flesh, but do not drop the stance of compassion and mercy to those who are under the deception and seduction of pollution. Don’t allow mercy and compassion to become support for polluted ways of living, and don’t allow condemnation and criticism to destroy mercy and compassion. My posture of mercy and compassion changes the conversation and it will often be the most determinative factor as to whether there is a receptive audience to the truth.
Application
I must learn to be compassionate and mercifully postured alongside without being drawn to join. I must never have the rocks of condemnation in my hand, but the message of grace, forgiveness, mercy, and acceptance. Jesus is the greatest illustration of a life lived in this posture, I will follow his example. I will not see myself as a defender of truth, but a sharer of truth. I will learn a “yes and” stance of listening and sharing my life and my beliefs.
Response
Thank you that you destroyed the sword as a means of enforcing truth. Thank you that you send me in love, this is the weapon of the Kingdom. Thank you that you do not call me to judgment and separation but rather to compassion and mercy, with the posture of with not against. Thank you that your motive, and you send me, to save not to be right.
Meditation
How do you see and share with people who have doubts about the things of God?
How often do you find the placard of condemnation in your hand in place of the posture of mercy and compassion?
JOURNEY DEEPER