I recently read the following quote by John Piper – “The key to mercy: be more amazed that you’re forgiven than that you’re wronged.”
Piper’s statement caused a flood of verses to fill my mind. To name a few – blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him (Psalm 32:2); He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities (Psalm 103:10); while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8); God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions (Ephesians 2:4-5). The hardest part about being merciful is withholding what I believe another person deserves – but that’s the essence of mercy, and that, in Christ is what I have received.In my interactions with others, I don’t want to make the mistake of the unmerciful servant, who, having been forgiven an enormous debt by his master, refused to excuse a small debt owed to him by his servant (Matthew 18:21-35). Focusing on the mind-blowing enormity of the forgiveness Christ has extended to me shifts my focus from the one who wronged me to the One I have wronged repeatedly. His response to me has been abundant pardon. That’s amazing.-Abbey Le RoyFeeds: