"Have mercy on me, O God, because of Your unfailing love. Because of Your great compassion, wipe away my sins." Psalm 51:1

Have you ever been on the receiving end of mercy? If you have, then you know, it does something to your heart.

A few years ago, I was in a hurry and sitting at a red light, eyes locked on the signal, waiting for it to turn green. The moment it did, I hit the gas… and immediately bumped into the car in front of me. Yep. Right into his bumper.

The man jumped out of his car, arms waving, clearly upset, and understandably so. He inspected the damage and found two tiny, hexagon-shaped dents on his bumper from my license plate screws. I stood there frozen, cheeks burning, nodding silently, completely embarrassed.

He looked at me and said, "You need to be more careful, young lady."

Then he got back into his car and drove away.

Mercy.

He had every right to make that moment far more difficult for me. He could have demanded insurance information, filed a report, or insisted his bumper be restored to perfection. But instead, he chose mercy.

Later that week, I found myself reflecting on it and asking, How can I extend mercy to people who wrong me? And let's be honest, our first thought is often, They don't deserve it. And that's true. Mercy, by definition, isn't deserved. It's given when judgment would be justified. I didn't deserve mercy that day, but I'm still grateful it was extended to me.

God's mercy isn't scarce, it's abundant. There is a multitude of mercy available for every sin, every poor decision, and every broken place in our lives that needs healing. We may grow impatient with the person holding up the line at the grocery store, the driver in front of us at a red light, or even those in our own homes. But the person testing our patience may be carrying a burden we know nothing about.

Let's choose, together, to extend the love, mercy, and compassion of God. When we do, healing, sometimes unexpected and profound, can take place.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for showing me mercy every single day. When I am wronged, help me forgive. Remind me of all You have done for me, and teach me to reflect Your mercy to others. Amen.