Blessed are the merciful

"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." Matthew 5:7



There are two sentences in the account of the rich young ruler that stand out to me when I think about mercy. "Jesus looked at him and loved him" is what Jesus did after the "rich, young ruler" stated he had not murdered, commited adultery, stolen, given false testimony, or defrauded, and that he had honored his father and mother. Jesus knew what he had done, but Jesus also knew what he had not done. "One thing you lack," [Jesus] said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." Jesus knew his heart, yet looked at him and loved him anyway. Jesus was merciful, when he didn't have to be, to the rich young ruler. The other sentence is what was said about the rich young ruler after Jesus asked him to give away his wealth to the poor: "At this the man's face fell."


How completely different the rich young ruler's attitude was from Jesus' -- "Jesus looked at him and loved him" versus "At this the man's face fell."



How pitiful to have it all and give nothing. How merciful it is to have nothing and give it all.