What is the gift of showing mercy?

What is showing mercy?  You would think all people have the ability to show compassion or mercy to another human being.  In reality though, some people just have a tough time expressing themselves in certain difficult situations, while others seem to have that certain giftedness for helping people cope with their hardships.  How many people do you know who do not like visiting nursing homes, hospitals, etc.?  Most people do not necessarily dislike their friends and loved ones in these institutions.  However, they can become overwhelmed by the debilitating toll that certain sicknesses and/or diseases are inflicting upon their friends and loved ones, because it seems as though there is nothing they can say or do to make the situation better…other than pray to God.  Then you have certain group of other people who often feel compelled to work around these same people, as they go through difficult times, by showing them mercy and trying to help them improve their quality of life, even though they often cannot fix their ailments.

The Apostle Paul includes the gift of showing mercy in his letter to the Romans.

“Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many from one body, and each member belongs to the others.  We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.  If a man’s gift is…showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully….” (Romans 12:4-6, 8 NIV)

One of the most important things people can do by showing compassion to others is spending time with them and not treating them indifferently.  The gift of showing mercy is when the Holy Spirit guides a believer to reach out to people going through difficult times and be sincerely concerned for their needs as a demonstration of God’s love.  Jesus Christ gave one of the best examples of compassion when he touched a person with leprosy – a person deemed untouchable at that time in history, due to the possible spread of the disease.

“A man with leprosy came to him [Jesus Christ] and begged him on his knees, ‘If you are willing, you can make me clean.’  Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man.  ‘I am willing,’ he said.  ‘Be Clean!”  Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured.” (Mark 1:40-42 NIV)

There are many ways believers can use the gift of showing mercy today, be it showing compassion to the congregation in their singing roles on a worship team or visiting shut-in individuals confined to their individual homes, hospitals or nursing homes.  Overall, one key factor that separates the gift of showing mercy from other spiritual gifts is the touch of human compassion.  Many believers will often try to show compassion for others by praying for them.  However, believers entrusted with the gift of compassion will take the time to pray with others and interact with them…regardless of their ailments or physical conditions.