Love MercySample

Mercy that Serves

Mercy Ships volunteer, Kathy, describes her first-hand experience of the difference that serving with mercy can make to another person’s life:

“One night they made an announcement on the ship for everybody with my blood type to come and donate blood, because we’d had a patient who had undergone surgery earlier in the day. This patient ended up needing eleven units of blood before they could stop the bleeding. In the U.S.A, you donate a little pint of blood. But having your blood pumped from your arm, then taken right into the operating theatre, to be put straight into another human being who you can go in and talk to the next day that puts a whole new meaning to saying we give the ‘gift of life’ when we give blood.”

Jesus had a deep sense of His divine identity and authority and a clear understanding of His ultimate destiny - this allowed Him to demonstrate love and mercy through a practical act of service. Jesus does not serve others to gain their approval or a greater status. Jesus serves others out of a secure place: knowing that God approves of him and loves Him. Jesus serves because he knows The Father sent Him and has given Him all authority and power. Here we see that when we have power over others we should use this power to serve! Serving is not a sign of weakness or subordination, instead it is a sign that we know how strong and powerful we are in God. Jesus models true leadership - we are to serve those we lead, as Jesus served his disciples. When we are more powerful we should show mercy and serve with love.

Call to action – When you have power or authority over others, how do you respond?  When you have more money, or you are in a position of power, perhaps at work or in the family home, do you use this power to serve and show love, or do you use it to gain a greater sense of importance. Jesus had all authority and power yet he washed his disciples feet – he chose to serve.  How could you serve those you have power over today? God loves you, so you never need to lord it over others to feel important or powerful.