Mercy Makes the Messed-Up Merciful

The Nonhuman Rights Project is the only civil rights organization in the United States dedicated solely to securing rights for “nonhuman animals.” They campaign for the right of “nonhuman animals” (let’s just call them animals) to be free from exploitation, domination, and abuse by humans.13 Andrew Linzey, author of Animal Theology and Animal Gospel and a professing Christian, goes so far as to say that we should give greater, not equal consideration to animals.

Strangely, the mercy of such animal rights supporters toward animals is often combined with support for abortion of unborn children and violence against people who have a different view of animals. Their mercy for nonhumans is combined with mercilessness for humans. That’s a messed-up mercy. How do we show mercy that’s not messed up? Proverbs 12:10 answers in such a way that we learn not just about human mercy but about God’s mercy.

God’s Heart Beats for All His Creatures (12:10)

Proverbs 12 begins with some general reflections on the difference between the wise and the foolish (12:1–8), followed by specific reflections on work: employees’ work (12:9), animals’ work (12:10), personal work (12:11), and rewarding work (12:12–14).

Zooming in on Solomon’s teaching about animal work, we learn: “Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast” (12:10). The righteous are those whom God, in his mercy, has declared righteous because they’ve put their faith in the righteous one, Jesus Christ. The mercy they receive from God is reflected in their mercy to animals.

This proverb, therefore, is not so much about our mercy but God’s mercy. His mercy motivates this proverb, his mercy makes us merciful, and his mercy is reflected in the way we treat weaker and lower creatures. When we receive mercy from God, we become merciful like God.

We see who God is in his care for animals. As he lifts up animals, we lift him up in praise for his mercy to his creatures. We sing Psalm 104 with new understanding and passion as we discover the caring heart of God in his kind concern even for animals.

If we received mercy, we’ll give mercy.

If that’s what we learn about God, then what do we learn about ourselves?

The Human Heart Is a Merciless Mess (12:10)

Mercy is the love of a superior for an inferior, the strong for the weak, rich for the poor. But this proverb pictures a scenario where someone who seems to be merciful is merciless. “The mercy of the wicked is cruel” (12:10).

The wicked talk a lot about mercy, but never show it. They may even use talk of mercy to cover up their cruelty, as Pilate did (Luke 23:16). They may appear merciful, but their actions are selfish and for their own benefit. Their mercy is motivated by money, their kindness by cash, and their provision for others by promotion of self.

They are merciful to animals they like, but not to human beings they don’t like. For example, Daniel Bor, writing in Slate, says it would have been okay to abort his daughter even late in gestation, but he is a vegetarian because animals, he says, may be “conscious beings.” The human heart without God’s mercy is a mixed-up merciless mess.

Without mercy, we’re a mess.

Changing Our Story with God’s Story

God’s mercy makes the messed-up merciful. The more mercy we get from God, the more we will give. That will benefit our family, farm, home, stable, kids, and pets. The more mercy we show, the more God’s mercy will be known. We cannot be merciful like God unless we’ve received mercy from God.

Summary: How can we be merciful like God? Demonstrate God’s mercy to you by showing mercy to the weak and lowly.

Question: How can you show God’s mercy to the weak and lowly around you?

Prayer: Merciful Creator, help me to request and receive your mercy so I can show your mercy to all your creatures.