Mercy

Mercy.  It is a very powerful, yet very misunderstood action in today's world.  Mercy is seen as a sign of weakness, the sign of a coward or of a pushover.  People who are merciful are seen as weak and somehow beneath the strong and rich and powerful.  The merciful are seen as less than they truly are in the world we live in today.  Mercy is not the act of weakness, but an act of someone who is strong, confident, and humble.  They know what it is to be knockdown, beat up on, spit on, and bullied until you want to cry.  They have lost love ones, lost a job, lost their way, or just felt lost altogether.  They have seen the horrors of this world, survived, and are now trying with all their strength to lift others out of the situations that they themselves were once stuck.  Whether it be an abusive relationship, alcoholism, gambling, racking up more debt than they could ever pay back, or drugs, the merciful seek out these individuals and offer a helping hand.  The best way I can explain it is through a story or a parable.  I am remembering a scene from the West Wing, and it involves 2 characters.  Josh Lyman is the Deputy Chief of Staff, and had just survived a gunshot wound that almost killed him.  He had been acting out to his friends and colleagues in an angry and hostile manner that was unlike his normal self.  His boss, Leo McGary, the Chief of Staff, called him into his office, after Josh had just yelled at the President.  Leo tells Josh that he needs to see a trauma therapist, and Josh reluctantly agrees.  After seeing the therapist, Josh goes to talk to Leo, and asks him how he knew that Josh needed help.  Here is the story he tells Josh.


"A man is walking along and falls into a deep hole that he cannot climb out of under his own power.  A doctor walks by and he yells up to the doctor,' Doc, can you help me out?'  The doctor looks down on the man, pulls out a prescription pad, writes him a prescription, and tosses it down the hole to the man.  A couple hours later, a priest walks by, and the man sees him.  He yells to the priest,'Father, I'm stuck down in this hole, can you help me out?'  The priest looks down to the man, write down a prayer, and tosses it down the hole to the man.  A few hours later, the man's friend Joe walks by, and the man yells,' Hey Joe, I stuck down here. Can you help me out?'  Without thinking, Joe looks at his friend, and jumps down into the hole.  The man is beside himself, looking at Joe, saying,' What in the world did you do that for, now we are both stuck down here!'  Joe looks at his friend and replies,' Yeah I know, but I've been down here before and I know the way out.'"

Mercy is not weak.  Mercy is given to inspire hope, show great love, and compassion to those who need it most.  I have seen acts of mercy, given some, and heard stories of great mercy.  Victoria Soto gave a the greatest act of love and mercy, when she sacrificed herself to save all the kids in her class.  She was NOT a coward or weak.  New York's Finest ran into the burning towers to save others.  They were NOT weak.  Our Armed Service people that serve our great country, who give the "last full measure of devotion" as Lincoln put it, are NOT weak when they are trying to raise up those, who cannot raise themselves up.
Mercy is an act of unbelievable strength, of courage and character.  Mercy can come from those who have strength, power, and money without making themselves appearing weak at all.  We need to change our culture to show that I can lift someone up out of despair when they need a helping hand or a kind word, and let the evils of this world know that if they threaten my life, my family, or friends that I will posses the strength to stop and destroy that evil without seeming to be unmerciful.  Stopping evil is NOT unmerciful, but our duty to each other and an act of mercy, as well.  We need to quit ignoring the evils going on around us and have the strength to stop them, and the mercy to lift those up who are in the most need of help.

So I challenge you, do acts of charity, show mercy to those who really need it, and the resolve to have the strength to stop evil in this world.

So I ask for a discussion.  What are acts of mercy that you have seen, shown, given, received, or heard in your own life? Post a comment and share it with everyone to show that good and mercy still exist.