Mercy not sacrifice
“7 If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’[a] you would not have condemned the innocent.”- Matthew 12:7
Pondering through His word recently, this verse popped up to me a few times across several chapters. It seems this is what God is trying to grab my attention lately.
The first thing that came to my mind when I read this was, “Mercy”, “Sacrifice”. Aren’t both the same as both are required of a Christian? To ‘sacrifice’ and deny ourselves, in order to carry His cross and at the same time, to be ‘merciful’ and compassionate to others?
So what does Jesus mean when He says He desires one of it and not the other?
It’s good that we also bring ourselves back to the context of when this verse was said. It was when religion and devotion to God is defined and confined by legalistic rules, rituals which most of the time requires some sacrifices on the devotee, be it in the form of financial, animal offerings or even the discipline and time to adhere to the A-to-Zs of The Dummy’s Guide to Religion.
But wait a minute, isn’t it true that what happened then, is still happening now, even within this safe walls within the church that defines the Christianity we know of?
When we sacrifice our scarce hours in ministry, attending conferences, events, meetings, trainings, events, faithfully tithing our hard-earned wages, volunteering in soup kitchens, donating Christmas gifts to fulfill our duty of compassion to the less fortunate? While we’re no longer slaughtering innocent animals, or adhering to every single feast or festival, we’re still sacrificing a part of ourselves in the name of religion. The question remains: “Is it done in the name of God?”
It was so easy back then 2,000 years ago, and even easier now to hide beneath this façade of religion as tradition and protocol permeates churches throughout these centuries.
And when practices and protocol differs, we did what was convenient back then 2,000 years ago when even from single belief of one true God, there came Pharisees, Sadducees, Zealots, etc etc
And now we have under the umbrella of one belief of Jesus, there came Catholics, Protestants, Methodists, Mormons, etc etc
While at the same time, beneath of these façade of sacrificial protocol, we claim we have the mercy it takes to be a compassionate church.
But as we go around shaking hands, and asking ‘how-are-you’ (pre-Covid) or in the name of concern and empathy trying to reach out, trying to pray, trying to counsel the hurting, the depressed, the suicidal, only God knows our heart. Whether all these are done merely to tick some boxes or really from a heart that carries His mercy and love that He truly desires.
Today, shall we allow God to challenge us to strip ourselves naked from the façade of religion, and to be filled with His mercy?
The mercy to pray for the suffering out of the genuine desire for them to be healed, rather than to complete a long prayer list, the mercy to ask ‘how are you doing’ really out of genuine concern and care for an absent brother/sister, rather than to ensure 100% attendance at church and small groups. The mercy and courage to reach out to the bitter, the frustrated, the negative and to spread His light amidst the darkness?
And at the end of the day, ultimately giving Him all the credits, all the glory for all that was done?
“Dear Father, today, and the days ahead, please fill me with Your mercy and love. Help me to freely give as how You’ve given me. Help me not to hide behind any facade of rituals, rules and protocols, and to truly give myself and yield myself to Your kingdom. Help me to be brave and to speak truth, let words of Your fire melt the ice of indifference in my world. In Jesus’ name, Amen”
