Author: Nathaniel Colt

Read about It

Read: John 9:1–12

A man who had been blind his entire life survived by begging people for help. Jesus’ disciples wanted to understand the reason something like that might happen. They assumed it was his parent’s sin or his sin. Jesus quickly moved the conversation to the truth. The man would bring glory to God because Jesus would heal him. Mercy was what the man needed, and Jesus gave it to him.

Jesus showed him mercy by healing him. Mercy and healing were the things that changed this man’s life forever. When you see someone sick or hurting, pray at that moment instead of passing them by or wondering what is wrong with them. Maybe God will lead you to be part of meeting their need. Showing mercy can change their life and help them see Jesus.

Read about It

Read: Genesis 50:14–21

Joseph had experienced many wrongs against him. His jealous brothers sold him into slavery, he was wrongly accused, and he was thrown in prison. He could have been angry and bitter, even after God made him second-in-command over all of Egypt. Instead, Joseph generously provided for his brothers and their families, even after their father, Jacob, died. Joseph knew that God used those terrible times to save his family, so he could forgive the terrible things his brothers had done.

The way Joseph’s brothers treated him was terrible, but Joseph was able to forgive them. How was he able to do that? Joseph continued to love God and others even when he was a slave, in prison, and in a place of power. He knew that God’s plan and purpose worked through his brothers—even when they sinned against him. Maybe our forgiveness to others when they hurt us will be the very thing that helps them see Jesus.

Read about It

Read: Matthew 18:23–35

In this story, a servant owed the king millions of dollars. The man begged for forgiveness for the debt he couldn’t pay back, and the king showed him mercy by forgiving his debt. The servant must have felt so relieved as he left the king. But then, he remembered that another servant owed him a much smaller amount of money. He should have forgiven that debt, but he didn’t, and he tried to make that servant pay him. The king heard about the terrible actions of the ungrateful servant and had him thrown in prison until he repaid his debt.

This parable shows us what happens when a person refuses to forgive others. Sadly, people hurt other people. You can probably think of a time when you were hurt by someone else, whether on purpose or by accident. It can be hard to forgive, and sometimes we may think we don’t have to. Jesus died on the Cross so our debt could be paid. Because of His gift of forgiveness to us, we should forgive others.

Read about It

Read: Matthew 18:21–22

Peter asked Jesus to give him the limit on how many times he had to forgive someone. Peter thought seven times was a good number. But Jesus made the point that we should keep on forgiving when He said we should forgive seventy times more than Peter said. It doesn’t matter how many times someone needs forgiveness from us. When we are forgiven by God, He expects us to do the same and keep on forgiving others.

There should be no limit on our forgiveness because Jesus has no limit of forgiveness with us. He generously forgives our sins, and we should show that same generosity to others. When others sin against us, let’s follow these steps. We should think about how God has forgiven us, ask God for help, and then forgive. Forgiving others frees both us and them.

Read about It

Read: Colossians 3:12–15

How should we live as people God has made holy? These verses from the Book of Colossians answer that question. Because God has made us holy, we need to live differently from those who don’t live for God. We also need to forgive others and be understanding and kind when they mess up. When Christians act this way, people want to know why they act like this and be part of it. What a great way to show Jesus’ love to the world!

We live in a world where it seems like people are constantly angry at each other. It’s easy to see the sin in other people. But, when we are one of God’s “holy people,” as it says in Colossians, we live differently from the world. Instead of getting mad at others, we are patient and gentle, and our words are kind. Christians should be humble, remembering that God’s mercy has saved us. Forgiveness is what sets us apart as believers and helps the world see the incredible love of Jesus.

Read about It

Read: Luke 15:11–32

In the Book of Luke, we read one of Jesus’ most famous stories, or parables. The Parable of the Lost Son is the story of a son who asked for his inheritance from his father early and wasted it. The son lived such a wild life that when he ran out of money, he even considered eating pig’s food when he was hungry. He decided to go back home, but he didn’t think his father would accept him. But when his father saw him coming, he ran to his son, hugged him tightly, and threw him a banquet.

This story is a picture of God’s mercy to us. When we ask Jesus to be the Lord of our life, we will receive His mercy. Even when we make bad choices, God is waiting for us to turn back to Him. When we turn away from our sin and toward God, He rejoices and celebrates. Why does He do this? Because God loves us so much!

Read about It

Read: Lamentations 3:22–24

What are your thoughts when you start a new day? When we imagine the morning, we probably think of birds chirping, the sun creeping up, and throwing back warm covers. In those moments, we should remind ourself of this important truth: God has given us mercy, and we can live in thankfulness. The Bible says that God’s mercies are new every morning. This means that we can begin our day with hope and gratitude.

As we begin each day, let’s remind ourself that God has been merciful to us. Some days, this can be difficult if we are late for school, forget a homework assignment, or if there is a thunderstorm on our big game day. The kind of day we are having doesn’t matter. When we wake up and say, “God, thank You for Your mercy on my life,” we remember the gift Jesus gave us. Starting the day with gratitude makes it harder for unkind thoughts, bad attitudes, and sin to creep into our day.

Read about It

Read: John 8:9–11; Romans 6:23

After her accusers were gone, the woman caught in sin was still there with Jesus. We can imagine that she felt shocked, confused, and probably relieved. But Jesus didn’t stop at driving her accusers away. He offered the woman His life-changing mercy. He didn’t condemn her either, and He told her to “go and sin no more.” Jesus offered her the gift of a new life, one that she now could begin because of His mercy.

Jesus offers this same gift of mercy to us. The Bible says that we all deserve death because of our sin, but God has shown us mercy through Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross. This gift is better than anything we could ever imagine. None of us can earn it by good deeds or our own wisdom. The good news about Jesus is a gift of hope for our salvation and a new life in Him. We get to receive this undeserved forgiveness just by accepting His gift.